Surname Mellnikow - Meaning and Origin

Mellnikow: What does the surname Mellnikow mean?

The last name "Mellnikow" is of Russian origin and is derived from the trade name ‘Mlinnik’ which can be translated to English as ‘miller’. A miller is someone who is involved in the process of grinding grain into flour.

This traditional trade was widespread throughout Russia during the Middle Ages and was an especially in-demand job. Those with the last name ‘Mellnikow’ are therefore believed to have ancestral roots in this occupation.

The Russian word ‘moleynik’, which translates to ‘miller’ in English, was also used to refer to a person who produced or sold fermented drinks such as vodka and beer, so it is possible that individuals with this last name may also have been associated with this profession.

More recently, people with this last name have been involved in various professions. It is believed that the name is held by families in the North American and European diasporas, but due to the lack of records it can be difficult to trace far back into the past.

Despite the limited information available, the strong correlations between the last name Mellnikow and miller-related occupations, suggest that it is likely to have been an important part of many individual’s family history.

Mellnikow: Where does the name Mellnikow come from?

The last name Mellnikow is primarily found throughout Eastern Europe and Russia. It is also found in areas with high populations of Eastern, Central, and Southern European immigrants. For example, the surname is most commonly found in countries like Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania.

The name Mellnikow is derived from the old Slavic word “melnik”, which means “mill”. This indicates that the original family who bore this name likely worked with grain or owned a flour mill.

The surname can be found in various countries today, and there is even a town called Melnic, found in Romania, which is thought to be the origin of the surname.

Mellnikow is found most commonly in the United States today, particularly in New York, California, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Ohio. There is also a much smaller population of individuals bearing this name in Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Sweden, though the numbers are very small in these countries.

Overall, the name Mellnikow is most common in Eastern European countries like Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, and Romania, as well as in countries where Eastern European immigrants exist in large numbers, including the United States.

Variations of the surname Mellnikow

The surname Mellnikow has multiple variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. The most common variants are: Melnikoff, Mellnikoff, Malnikoff, Melnikow, Malnikow, Melnikova, Malnikova and Melnikova.

Mellnikow is a patronymic surname originating in the former regions of the Russian Empire, indicating descendant of Melnik or Malnik. This name is a combination of two elements: “mel”, meaning honey, and “nik”, an abridgment of the word “YNIK” - one who does. Thus, the literal meaning of the name is “one who does honey”.

It is also a common surname in the Ukraine, where it’s can also be spelled as Melnyk and Melnychuk. In some cases, this variant of the surname can contain the suffix “ko” or “ka”, meaning child of, thus producing spellings such as Melnykova or Melnikova.

Mellnikow is also a common surname in Romania where it is spelled as Melnic and Melinik. In this region, the name is believed to have Slavic origin, and it is most common among the Romanian speakers from the Moldova region.

The surname also has multiple French spellings, such as Melnikoff, Mélnikoff, Mélnikoff and Mélnikov. In some cases, these French variations can also contain the Latin suffix “us”, meaning descendant of, giving the surnames such as Mélnikovus.

Overall, due to its multiple variations and spellings, the surname Mellnikow can be found in many different countries and regions, making it one of the most widespread surnames of its kind.

Famous people with the name Mellnikow

• Alexander Mellnikow: a Russian actor, who was well-known for his role in the 1962 Soviet movie, Ivan's Childhood.
• Alexei Mellnikow: Russian professor of Engineering at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. He has published more than 200 scientific articles on power semiconductor devices and integrated power electronics and won multiple awards.
• Antonin Mellnikow: Ukrainian painter who is known for his oil paintings of Ukrainian people, landscapes and rural life.
• Boris Mellnikow: Soviet figure skater who won gold and silver medals at the 1967 European Figure Skating Championships.
• Roman Mellnikow: Soviet sprint canoer who won four medals at the 1975 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships.
• Sylvia Mellnikow: American actress who played a minor role in the television series Arrested Development.
• Stanislaw Mellnikow: Polish photographer who has had his work published in multiple magazines including National Geographic and Time Magazine.
• Xenia Mellnikow– Russian journalist and radio host, who works for several outlets including Ekho Moskvy.

Other surnames

Mellnik