Ulianov

Ulianov is a surname, an alternative transliteration of the Russian Ульянов. In English-language sources the standard spelling is usually Ulyanov, but Ulianov appears in various texts, reflecting different transliteration systems from Cyrillic. The name is of Slavic origin and is used in Russia and by diaspora communities.

Etymology and form: Ulianov is a patronymic-style surname derived from the given name Ulyan, a form of a traditional Russian name. As with many Russian surnames, it identifies an ancestral link to a person named Ulyan and has multiple transliterations depending on language and period.

Notable bearers: The most widely known bearer is Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (1870–1924), better known as Lenin, a key figure in the Russian Revolution and leader of the early Soviet state. In some historical writings and translations, his surname is rendered as Ulianov. Beyond Lenin, other individuals may bear the surname in Russia and among Russian-speaking communities, with spelling variations reflecting transliteration choices.

Related places and uses: The city of Ulyanovsk in Russia (formerly Simbirsk) was renamed in honor of Lenin’s family name Ulyanov, linking the surname to a geographic location. The form Ulianov also appears in historical documents and secondary sources that adopt alternative English spellings for Cyrillic names.

See also: Ulyanov (surname); Ulyanovsk. The choice between Ulianov and Ulyanov largely reflects transliteration conventions rather than distinct names.