Zaiets

Zaiets is a transliteration used for the Ukrainian word Зайець, which means hare. In addition to its lexical use, Zaiets is also a surname found among Ukrainian and other Slavic-speaking communities. As a family name, it is typically of Ukrainian origin and may have arisen from an occupational nickname, a descriptive trait associated with speed or alertness, or a toponymic association related to hare lore in local folklore.

Etymology and forms: The root зай- comes from the Proto-Slavic word for hare, with the Ukrainian suffix -ець forming a common masculine surname pattern. Because transliteration from Cyrillic to Latin alphabets varies, Zaiets can appear as Zayets or other close variants in different countries or genealogical records. In neighboring languages, cognate forms exist with different spellings; for example, in Russian the corresponding surname is often rendered as Zaitsev (Зайцев), reflecting language-specific spelling conventions. Polish and other West Slavic languages have related but distinct forms such as Zając, which share the same animal-origin root but are treated as separate surnames in their own languages.

Distribution: The Zaiets surname is most commonly associated with Ukraine and Ukrainian diaspora communities. It also appears in Russia, Belarus, and countries with significant Slavic immigrant populations, including Canada, the United States, and parts of Western Europe. Beyond being a surname, the word itself remains part of everyday language in Ukrainian contexts, referring to the animal hare.

See also: Zaitsev, Zając, and other cognate surnames in Slavic onomastics.