Pavlichenko

Pavlichenko is a surname of Ukrainian origin. It is a patronymic name derived from the given name Pavlo (the Ukrainian form of Paul) with the suffix -chenko, which denotes descent. The spelling is commonly transliterated from Cyrillic as Pavlichenko, with variants such as Pavlyuchenko and Pavlitchenko.

Geographic distribution: The name is most common in Ukraine and among Ukrainian communities abroad, including Russia, Canada, the United States, and other parts of Europe, reflecting migration and diaspora patterns.

Notable people: The best known bearer is Lyudmila Pavlichenko (1916–1974), a Soviet World War II sniper credited with 309 confirmed kills. She is widely regarded as the most successful female sniper in history and was named a Hero of the Soviet Union for her wartime service. Her legacy is linked to scholarship, commemoration, and discussions of women in combat.

Other individuals with the surname exist but are less widely documented in English-language sources. The name’s Ukrainian origin and its transliteration variants account for a range of spellings in different countries. A closely related transliteration, Pavlyuchenko, is borne by other notable figures, such as the Russian footballer Roman Pavlyuchenko.