Yezhovi

Yezhovi is a Slavic surname transliterated from the Cyrillic Ёжовы. It is found among Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian-speaking populations and has also appeared in diaspora communities in other parts of Europe and North America. The name is typically treated as a family surname rather than a given name.

Etymology: The surname is derived from the common noun ёж, meaning hedgehog, with the typical Slavic suffix -ов that forms patronymic or descriptive surnames. In this sense, Ёжовы likely originated as a nickname for an ancestor described as hedgehog-like in appearance or temperament, or as a toponymic or occupational nickname later adopted as a family name.

Geographic distribution and variants: In Cyrillic contexts, the name is written Ёжовы and transliterated as Yezhovi. Feminine forms include Ёжова (Yezhova). Variants in different languages and transliteration systems include Yezhov, Jeżowie, or other spellings that reflect local orthography and phonetics. The exact distribution can vary by region and over time due to migrations and name standardization.

History and usage: The surname appears in historical records in the Russian Empire and nearby regions from the 17th to 19th centuries, particularly in areas where animal-derived nicknames were a common source of surnames. In modern times, bearers of the name are found in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and among immigrant communities abroad.

Notable bearers and references: Yezhovi remains a relatively uncommon surname with no widely recognized global figures associated specifically with the name in standard reference sources. For related forms, see Yezhov (surname) and the animal hedgehog.