The history of the name Golubev originates from a personal nickname, like many others in Russia. It is related to the common type of generic name formation in our country. The origin and meaning of the surname Golubev will be described in the article.
Nickname
Since ancient times, it was customary to give in Russia. They existed both before the introduction of Christianity, and after the appearance of the clergy, and, accordingly, of baptismal names. Nicknames that were used as names could be given in addition to those that were assigned at baptism, since there were relatively few. They were often repeated, therefore there was a problem of identification.
As for the nicknames, their supply was unlimited. With their help, one or another person could be easily identified. In many cases, secular names were supplanted by baptismal ones, even in official documents.
Their sources could be very different. They could indicate:
- on character traits (Courageous, Buka, Fun);
- nationality (Gypsy, Tatar, Pole);
- profession (Kosar, Fisherman, Miller);
- place of residence (Stepnyak, Hermit, Rechnik).
Next, we proceed directly to the consideration of the origin of the surname Golubev.
By the name of the bird
Often nicknames were given by the name of animals and birds. So, the origin of the surname Golubev refers to the nickname Dove. How did it happen? Researchers do not exclude the following reasons:
- The person who received this nickname was engaged in breeding pigeons.
- Outwardly, he was something like this bird.
- Blue was affectionately called a sweet and pleasant person.
- So they could call a person who was pigeon, that is, loved and caressed.
Such a nickname is often found in historical chronicles, pointing to people from different social strata, for example, they say:
- about Prince Boris Vasilievich Golubok Pozharsky (16th century);
- Moscow guest Golube (16th c.);
- Smolensk Posad Ivan Golubets (17th c.).
Considering the origin of the surname Golubev, let us trace how the process of the formation of generic names from nicknames occurred.
From nickname to surname
Surnames begin to be fixed and transmitted from one generation to another among rich people. This process dates back to the 15-16th centuries. Generic names indicate belonging to a particular family. These are possessive adjectives with suffixes “o”, “ev”, “in” at the end. Initially, they pointed to the father's nickname.
As for the bulk of the population, it remained without surnames for a long time. The beginning of their consolidation was laid by the clergy. So, in particular, the Metropolitan of Kiev Peter Mogila instructed priests in 1632 to keep a metric of people who were born, married and died.
After serfdom was abolished in Russia, the government needed to solve such a problem as assigning surnames to liberated peasants. In 1888, the Senate issued a decree saying that to be called by a certain surname is the duty of a full person. Its designation in a number of documents was required by law.
It was in the described way that the descendants of a man nicknamed the Dove or the Golub turned out to be the owners of the surname Golubev.
Bird as a symbol
Continuing to consider the origin of the surname Golubev, it should be said about what are associated with the idea of a bird, from the name of which it is formed. Since ancient times, it has been associated with concepts such as purity and chastity. And also, due to the fact that the pigeon is devoted to its offspring, it personifies the maternal feelings. There is also an interpretation of it as the embodiment of wisdom.
In the Christian art of the medieval period, this symbol was present when depicted:
- Annunciation.
- Epiphany.
- Descent of the Holy Spirit.
- Trinity.
There was a belief according to which witches and the devil can take the form of any creatures except the appearance of a sheep and a dove. Before Christianity was introduced in Russia, it was traditional to call a child a name corresponding to an animal or plant. This was in line with pagan ideas about the world. Ancient Rusich lived, reckoning with the laws of nature, representing themselves as its integral part.
Calling the baby by the name Dove, the father and mother strove to ensure that the child was perceived by nature as their own, so that those useful qualities that are inherent in the chosen representative of the plant or animal world go to their child.
