The surname Ermakov is not widespread in Russia. In historical protocols, the owners of this clan naming were well-known personalities of the Moscow philistinism of the 18th-19th centuries. Historical references to the family name are found in the census of citizens of Ancient Rus during the reign of Ivan the Terrible. The autocrat had a list of special noble, melodic and beautiful surnames that he presented to his subjects for special merits. This family name has retained its unique individual meaning and originality. So, what does the name Yermakov and its origin mean?
The origin of the family name
After the official rite of baptism, each person received a church name from the clergyman, which played the role of personal naming. Such baptismal church names corresponded to the names of the great martyrs and saints and were ordinary Christian names.
But among the Slavs for a long time the custom of the dual-name was preserved, when the middle name was added to the name of the newborn, thereby indicating the child's belonging to a certain family (kind). This tradition persisted for a long time, as there were few church names and they were often repeated. Attaching a middle name or nickname to the child’s name helped solve the problem of identification.
The origin of Yermakov’s surname is most likely related to the male name Yermak, which is a short form of the church name Yermil. This name is translated into Russian as "Hermes Grove." Hermes was the god of intelligence, deception, theft, and trade. It was believed that it helps to acquire wealth.
The patron saint of the family name
In the Orthodox name-list, the patron saint of this clan name was the martyr Ermila, who, together with his companion Stratonik, suffered for the faith during the persecution of Christians under the emperor Licinius (about the 4th century AD).
The origin of the surname Ermakov is associated with the name of St. Ermila. He served as a deacon in the city of Belgrade, was sentenced to prison, where he was tortured and tortured for a long time, forcing him to abandon Christianity. Saint Stratonik was a prison guard and secretly professed the Christian religion. Seeing the terrible torment of Yermila, he could not remain silent and began to zealously defend the faith, for which he was also tortured. After prolonged torment, they were sewn into the net and drowned in the Danube. On the third day, their bodies were found on the banks of the river and buried near Singidon.
Other versions of the origin of the surname Ermakov and its meaning
Scientists admit the eastern version of the origin of the investigated family name. For example, in Turkic languages there is a word “yarmak”, which means “money”. It is possible that this word was the basis of the surname.
Some scholars believe that the origin of the surname Ermakov is associated with Ossetian culture. That is, it came from the name of Irmagt. In ancient times, this name was common among Ossetians and Alans. This generic name is very ancient and comes from the area of Digori.
The name Ermak is common among Kazakhs, Tatars, Bashkirs, which once again confirms the Turkic origin. Sometimes it is pronounced “Ermek” and translates as “fun, fun.”
The name Ermak did not occupy a prominent place in the Orthodox nomenclature, but since the 16th century its popularity has risen sharply thanks to the conqueror of Siberia Ermak. It is with this name that the origin of the surname Ermakov is associated.
The meaning and origin of this generic name in the 17th century was associated exclusively with the name of Ermak Timofeevich, the atamans of the Siberian Cossacks took this surname. This phenomenon is associated with the prevalence of the family name in these regions.
Surname value
The surname is based on a personal name, the interpretation of which is still not fully understood. It, according to one of the hypotheses, comes from the ancient Greek name of the god Hermes. It is also possible that it goes back to the names Yermipp, which translates as “horse”, Yermokrat - “power, strength”, Yermoger - “kind”, Yermolai - “people”.
