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[yers.livejournal.com]

Top 10 Russian surnames, and what they mean:

1 Смирнов — Smirnov, “of the meek one”*
2 Иванов — Ivanov, “of Ivan (John)”
3 Кузнецов — Kuznetsov, “of the blacksmith”
4 Попов — Popov, “of the priest”
5 Соколов — Sokolov, “of Falcon”*
6 Лебедев — Lebedev, “of Swan”*
7 Козлов — Kozlov, “of Goat”*
8 Новиков — Novikov, “of the newcomer”
9 Морозов — Morozov, “of Frost”*
10 Петров — Petrov, “of Pyotr (Peter)”

*presumably from a nickname

A longer list: 50 most common Russian surnames

Comments

[arvi.livejournal.com]

> there were many indigenous Russian names before the Christening.

   Yes. And now many people, insulted by Christian revanchism, turn to original Russian names. I have a great book about this names, that were common in our land before Greek/Jewish influence.

> but kept in surnames.

   Surname means family name? Yes, people always try to save what they have. And family lives longer, than individual.

> Some names have been revived after the communist revolution

   Revolution gave many new names, and few survived. The most known are Владлен (Vladlen, male, Vladimir Lenin) and Гертруда (Gertruda, female, Hero of Labor).

   May be its time to make new family names, to keep atheist tradition in centuries.

[alon_68]

Revolution gave many new names, and few survived

You didn't understand me here. I spoke about revived ancient names (like Vadim and Svetlana), not about newly created.

[arvi.livejournal.com]

And I continued, that some ancient names not only were revived after revolution, but are revived now. From Бажен, Баян to Ярослав, Ярун.

Newly created names is the topic, that is important to our country. You, may be, not interested in it.