Surname Litvinenko - Meaning and Origin

Litvinenko: What does the surname Litvinenko mean?

The last name Litvinenko is a patronymic Russian surname derived from the name Luka. The suffix "enko" is a Slavic patronymic ending meaning "son of". Historically, it was common for people to take the first name of their father and add the suffix to it in order to form a last name. Therefore, Litvinenko essentially means “son of Luka”.

The name Luka is believed to have originated from the Hebrew ‘lukah’ and the Latin ‘lux’, both of which mean “light”. The name may have been derived from the popular biblical figure “Lukah”, which was the Greek equivalent of Luke, one of the four gospels in the Christian Bible. It is possible the name developed into the patronymic Litvinenko, as a way to pay homage to the biblical figure.

The name is especially popular in Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine and it had been adopted by many families as a way to identify their lineage. Throughout the centuries, many families have used the name to honor their ancestors. For example, Alexander Litvinenko, a former agent of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, was named after his father, Luka Litvinenko.

All in all, Litvinenko is a Russian surname derived from the given name Luka, a variation of the biblical figure of Luke, with the patronymic suffix “enko” meaning "son of".

Litvinenko: Where does the name Litvinenko come from?

The last name Litvinenko is still quite common today. It is most strongly represented in several Slavic nations, including Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Poland, and Latvia. In Russia the Litvinenko family can be found all over, particularly in the regions of Byelorussia, Tver, Bryansk, Smolensk, and Ivanovo.

In Belarus, Litvinenko is most prevalently found in the Minsk and Mogilev regions in the north. Litvinenkos are also scattered throughout the several Ukrainian states, including Zhitomir, Rivne, Kyiv, and Chernigov. In addition, the name is most frequently found in Latvia in the Daugavpils region in the south.

Poland is likewise home to many Litvinenko families, particularly in lower Silesia and the Podlasie and Warmia-Masuria regions. It has also spread to other parts of the world, such as the United States, Argentina, Spain, Great Britain, Switzerland, and Australia.

In many cases, the name can be roughly translated from its Russian and Belarusian origin to mean "son of Luta," or simply "Luta's child." This origin relates to the old Russian secret name “Luta,” which became a family name. Over time, the literal or indirect transliterations of this name, such as Litvinenko, became commonplace. Today, the Litvinenko surname is greatly esteemed among its beharers.

Variations of the surname Litvinenko

Litvinenko is a Ukrainian and/or Russian surname of Slavic origin. The most common variants of the name include Litvinenko, Litvinenko, Lytvynenko, Lytvynenko, Litvinenco, Litvenko, Litvin, Litvenko, and Litwinski.

Litvinenko is also spelt differently in different countries and languages. Variants include Litwinenko, Lidwinenko, Lidvinenko, Leavinenko, Lidvinenka, Litvinko, Lidvinenka, Litwinenka, Litvynenko, and Litvinenka.

In some instances, Litvinenko is also used as a first name. Forms of this usage include Lidwin, Litvin, Litven, Lytvenko, and Lidvinenka, amongst others.

Surnames close to the Litvinenko surname are Litvak, Litovsky, Lytvynenko, Litvenko, Litvinovich, Lytvyniv, Litvinov, Litvyak, Litvenchik, and Litovchenko.

Overall, Litvinenko is a widely occurrence surname with many variants and spellings, spanning different countries and languages. While the origin of the surname may vary, the meaning remains similar: ‘son of Litvin’.

Famous people with the name Litvinenko

• Alexander Litvinenko: Former Russian officer of the Federal Security Service who moved to the United Kingdom and became a British citizen, and outspoken critic of the Russian government. His mysterious and highly publicised death in 2006 was later linked to the attempted assassination of a former KGB agent: a highly contentious issue both in Russia and the West.
• Marina Litvinenko: Widow of Alexander Litvinenko. She has been an advocate for a public inquiry into the circumstances of his death and has continued to criticise the Russian government over its refusal to provide information on the investigation.
• Maxim Litvinenko: Son of Alexander and Marina Litvinenko. He has become a high profile campaigner for the justice of his father's death, speaking at the funeral of Alexander before the whole world.
• Viktor Litvinenko: Brother of Alexander and co-founder of the 'Truth and Justice for Litvinenko' organization. He has been actively involved in uncovering the truth behind his brother’s murder.
• Yelena Litvinenko: Sister of Alexander. She has worked with a lawyer to form the 'Truth and Justice for Litvinenko' organization, speaking out for the rights of her brother and his murderer.
• Dmitry Litvinenko: Nephew of Alexander, son of Viktor. He often accompanies his uncle, Viktor, in his efforts to uncover the truth behind Alexander's murder.
• Ivan Litvinenko: Alexander's father, who still resides in Russia and maintains the family home where Alexander lived as a child. He, too, has spoken out about the truth behind his son's death.

Other surnames

Litvine