Atanasov

Atanasov is a surname of Bulgarian origin. It is a patronymic surname formed from the given name Atanas, the Bulgarian form of Athanasios, which ultimately derives from the Greek word meaning “immortal.” The suffix -ov signifies “son of” or belonging to, so Atanasov originally indicated lineage from someone named Atanas. The feminine form of the name is Atanasova. In Cyrillic, the name is written Атанасов and is commonly transliterated as Atanasov in Latin script.

The surname is most common in Bulgaria and in regions with historic Bulgarian communities, including parts of North Macedonia and Serbia, as well as among the Bulgarian diaspora in Europe and the Americas. It is typically rendered as Atanasov in English-language contexts, though regional or historical spellings may vary.

Notable people bearing the surname include Georgi Atanasov, a Bulgarian politician who served as prime minister in the late 1980s. Beyond politics, individuals with the name have appeared in fields such as sports, academia, and the arts, reflecting the name’s broad presence across Bulgarian society and the wider Balkans.