Thread: What really is my family name?

When arriving in America many years ago grandparents were asked what their name was in English. Not knowing any English they gave the name they thought was correct, Worth. What does this translate in Russian and is this a Russian family name? Just wondering what my real family name is....Thanks.

Originally Posted by Steve Worthman

When arriving in America many years ago grandparents were asked what their name was in English. Not knowing any English they gave the name they thought was correct, Worth. What does this translate in Russian and is this a Russian family name? Just wondering what my real family name is....Thanks.

Essentially the word means the following:

1. value: значение, цена
2. cost: цена, стоимость
3. price: цена
4. wealth: богатый

I cannot imagine a Russian family name with "цена" and "стоимость". Well, perhaps "Ценный". Or, perhaps, based on less directly related words like "expensive", which is "дорогой": "Дорогой", "Дорогов", "Драгов". "Значение" is hardly possible directly, too, but it could be "важный": "Важный", "Важнов", "Важнеев". Finally, "богатый": "Богатый", "Богачёв", "Богатеев". Of course it can be anything related to wealth and value, in a less obvious way. Besides, your grandparents might have come from Russia but they could have had some non-Russian family name, say Ukrainian, Byelorussian, Polish, Jewish or even Tatar.

Well they could easily make it of russian last name too.
There are a lot more or less common last names with roots meaning money, welth e.t.c.
for example: (the last names of people I personally know)
- Барышев (барыш - money)
- Скоробогатов (скоро - fast,soon| богатый - rich, welthy)
- Золотой (golden)