Usmanovs

Usmanovs are a tribe of Ukrainian Cossacks of Tatar origin. They originally resided in the Don-Zaporozhian Sich, a fortified settlement on the banks of the Don River in Eastern Ukraine. The name 'Usmanov' is believed to be derived from the Tatar name 'Usmay,' meaning'send or send off.' Their origins can be traced back to the late 16th and early 17th century when groups of Tatars settled within the Don-Zaporozhian Cossack community.

Usmanovs, as a distinct ethnos, were acknowledged by the Zaporozhian Sich in the 18th century, alongside other tribes, such as the Pereiaslavets, the Oleshny, and the Dil after their establishment. They had active military engagements with the Turkish, Crimean Khanate, and Russian Empire forces. Over time, the Usmanovs developed a unique culture that blended Tatar and Cossack traditions. The tribe stood out for their cultural pluralism and their close ties to the Don and Azov regions.

Some historical research associates the Usmanovs with the sites of two specific fortifications built near the fortified city of Oleksandrivsk on the Oskel river branch, in what is now Saratov Oblast of Russia, likely around the time of Peter the Great's military campaigns in the region in the early 18th century.