Surname Matveev - Meaning and Origin

Matveev: What does the surname Matveev mean?

The last name Matveev is a patronymic that was derived from the given name Matvei (Matthew). It is one of the most common Slavic surnames, found throughout Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. It is also common among countries with a sizable Russian diaspora, including a number of other former Soviet Union countries, the United States, Israel, and parts of Western Europe.

The surname Matveev is believed to have first surfaced in the 12th century. Thus, one of the oldest recorded forms is from 1273, when one Matveev Dokhilovich (Matveev the Dockyard Worker) was living in Novgorod.

Today, the name Matveev is carried by many people around the globe who have no known familial connection and simply adopted the same surname for its attractive, positive connotations. Common beliefs suggest that the name represents strength and the spirit of courage, and is often chosen by adoptees or those that have recently immigrated to a new country.

As a patronymic, the name Matveev literally translates to: "son of Matthew." Thus, it follows that most people with this last name are descended from a father or grandfather whose given name was Matvei (Matthew). While other forms of patronymic surnames are still commonly used, their meanings and associations vary from region to region.

In modern Russian, the Matveev surname is traditionally written using the Cyrillic alphabet. It reads Матвеев, though the Russian spelling is often modified and changed to fit each region's dialect.

Matveev: Where does the name Matveev come from?

The Matveev family name is primarily found in countries located in Eastern Europe such as Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, and Latvia. According to records, the Matveev name is very popular in Russia with a total of 90,000 people carrying the name. It is estimated that the Matveev name is the ninth most frequent surname in Russia. The surname is believed to have derived from a pre-Christian era Slavic word meaning "man".

In Ukraine, the Matveev surname is the 66th most common last name, with over 10,000 individuals registered in the country's Central State Register of Name Patrons.

In Belarus, the surname is considered to be somewhat rare, but is found scattered throughout Vitebsk and Grodno oblasts, as well as the city of Minsk.

The Matveev surname is also found in Moldova, though records show that the frequency may be lower compared to Russia and Ukraine. It is estimated that over 4,000 people in Moldova are registered under the Matveev surname.

Lastly, the surname is found in Latvia as well. Although not as many as in the aforementioned countries, it is still a fairly common name with over 1,000 people carrying it.

In addition, the Matveev surname can also be found in other countries with a large Russian-speaking population such as Israel and Germany, as well as the United States and United Kingdom, due to many citizens of various countries of the former Soviet Union having emigrated to these countries.

Variations of the surname Matveev

The Matveev surname is a patronymic Russian name deriving from the male given name Matvey (Матвей). Variants of the Matveev surname include Matveev, Matveyev, Matviyev, Matviyenko, Matveenko, Matvei, Matvienko, Matviyenko, and Matveyenko.

Spelling variations of the Matveev surname might include Matvieve, Matveyo, Matveyeu, Matveyou, Matveyou, Matviev, Matvicev, Mateviyev, Mateveev, Mateyev, Mateymeier, Matvijevich, Matvijevic, Matviyevich, and Matviyevic.

Surnames with the same root include Matvenko, Matveiko, Matvienko, Matveenko, Matviyenko, Matvezhenko, and Matveychenko. These surnames can be derived from the given name Matvey with the addition of different suffixes, which can change the meaning of the surname. For example, Matvenko derives from Matvey plus the suffix -enko, which is a patronymic bestowed on sons of Matvey.

In some cases, the last syllable of the surname tends to change depending on the gender of the original namesake. Male names ending in -a or -oy are often changed to -ev or -in; female names to -ova or -ina. For example, the feminine variation of Matveev would be Matveeva. In some cases, the surname might also be altered depending on the region and culture. For example, Matveev might become Matviev or Matveyeff in Latvia.

Overall, the Matveev surname is a patronymic Russian name with many variants, spellings, and surnames sharing the same origin.

Famous people with the name Matveev

• Valeri Matveev: Soviet hockey player.
• Vyacheslav Matveev: Austrian footballer.
• Lyudmila Matveeva: Russian swimmer.
• Alexey Matveev: Russian photographer, film director and screenwriter.
• SI Matveev: Russian playwright, novelist and literary critic.
• Marat Matveev: geographer and climatologist.
• Alexander Matveev: Russian ballet dancer.
• Vladimir Matveev: Soviet football manager.
• Ivan Matveev: Russian scientist, professor and doctor of technical sciences.
• Vadim Matveev: Russian theatre actor.
• Valery Matveev: Russian rock and pop musician and composer.
• Leonid Matveev: Soviet football player.
• Yevgeny Matveev: Soviet and Russian actor.
• Vladislav Matveev: Professional basketball player.
• Dmitry Matveev: Russian industrial and graphic designer.
• Oleg Matveev: Russian contemporary artist.
• Dmitry Matveev: Russian classical violist.

Other surnames

Matveeva