Smirnov

Smirnov is a common Russian surname. The masculine form is Smirnov and the feminine form is Smirnova. It derives from the nickname smirny, meaning quiet, calm, or meek, and originally signified a descendant or kin of someone nicknamed Smirny.

The name is widespread in Russia and in other Slavic countries, as well as among the Russian-speaking diaspora. Variants and transliterations include Smirnov and Smirnova; in some English-language contexts, Smirnov may be rendered as Smirnoff, a form associated with the Smirnoff vodka brand, whose origins lie with Pyotr Smirnov in 19th-century Moscow.

Notable people with the surname span politics, science, and culture. Nikolai Smirnov was a Russian mathematician who contributed to probability theory and is associated with the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test. Igor Smirnov is a Moldovan politician who led the self-proclaimed state of Transnistria for several years. These examples illustrate the surname’s prominence across various fields and regions.

In statistics, the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test uses the Smirnov statistic, named in part for Nikolai Smirnov. The test assesses the goodness of fit or compares two empirical distribution functions, and it is widely used in statistical practice. The Smirnov surname remains one of the most common in Russia and appears in diverse historical and cultural contexts.