sokov

Sokov is a surname of East Slavic origin, primarily found in Russia and Ukraine. The name is derived from the personal name "Sok," a diminutive of "Socin" or "Sokin," which in turn originates from the Proto-Slavic root *sъkъ meaning “to cut” or “to divide.” The suffix –ov is a patronymic marker common in Russian and Ukrainian surnames, indicating “belonging to” or “descendant of.” Consequently, Sokov can be interpreted as “son of Sok” or “descendant of the one who cuts.”

Usage of the surname dates back to the early medieval period in the Rus’ lands, where it appears in church registers and legal documents from the 14th and 15th centuries. Over the centuries, the name has persisted among peasant and noble families alike, with several regional concentrations in the Moscow and Kyiv guberniyas. In the 19th and 20th centuries, emigration and internal migration spread the surname to the Russian diaspora in the United States, Canada, and Australia, where it is now found among communities of former Soviet citizens.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Sokov include Sergey Sokov (born 1965), a Russian historian specializing in medieval Rus’ manuscripts, who has published several influential monographs on early Slavic writing. Another is Olga Sokova (born 1972), a Ukrainian choreographer recognized for her contemporary ballet productions. While the surname is not among the most common in Slavic countries, its bearers have contributed to cultural, academic, and artistic fields within the former Soviet Union and beyond.

In genealogical research, the Sokov name is often associated with Yiddish and Jewish ancestry because of the common practice of adopting Slavic surnames in the Russian Empire. Jewish residents of the Pale of Settlement sometimes adopted surnames such as Sokov or its variations during the late 19th‑early 20th‑century naming reforms, leading to a diverse cultural heritage among those who share the name.