Starkov

Starkov is a surname of Slavic origin, most common in Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union. The feminine form is Starkova. The name is typically patronymic, formed with the suffix -ov, and is often linked to a root such as Stark, a personal name or nickname that may be derived from the Germanic root stark meaning strong. As a result, Starkov generally signifies “son of Stark” or “belonging to Stark.”

The surname is rendered in Cyrillic as Старков (Starkov) and transliterates into English as Starkov, with variant spellings such as Starkoff or Starkow appearing in some diasporic communities, depending on the language and time period.

Starkov is found across Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and other Slavic countries, and among emigrant communities in North America and Western Europe. It has also arisen through cultural exchange in regions with historical Polish or Baltic influences.

There is no single authoritative origin for every Starkov, as families may have adopted the name independently through different root forms. The name’s usage as a surname has persisted since the 18th–19th centuries and continues in contemporary populations.

See also Stark (surname).