Surname Rilski - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'R'
Rilski: What does the surname Rilski mean?
Rilski is a Slavic surname that primarily originates from Bulgaria. The name can be translated roughly to mean "of Rila." "Rila" is a mountain range in southwestern Bulgaria and is the highest mountain range of Bulgaria and the Balkans. The most famous person with this surname is St. Ivan of Rila (876 - 946 AD), also known as St. Ivan Rilski, who is the patron saint of Bulgaria. He was a hermit and the founder of the Rila Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of Bulgaria's most important cultural, historical and architectural monuments. The "-ski" in Slavic surnames often denotes origin or belonging, so people with the surname Rilski could potentially have ancestral ties to the Rila region. However, the name isn't common and isn't strictly geographically tied, as is often the case with surnames in many cultures.
Order DNA origin analysisRilski: Where does the name Rilski come from?
The last name Rilski is most prominently found in Bulgaria, especially in its western regions. Estimates suggest that approximately 8,600 people in Bulgaria are known to carry this surname, making it one of the 15 most common surnames in the country.
The last name Rilski and its variants are also found in other countries around the world, although in much smaller numbers. These countries include Australia, Canada, Germany, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
In the United States, Rilski is the 685,605th most common name according to records from 2019, and slightly more common than the 691,226th most common name, Howard. This suggests that fewer than approximately 1,000 people in the country have the surname Rilski.
In Australia, the surname Rilski is much rarer and is estimated to be in the range of a few hundred people. It is believed to be most common in Victoria, where the Bulgarian community is well established. The population of Bulgaria-born people in Australia has steadily grown in recent years, so the number of people with the surname Rilski may also increase.
In Germany, the surname is incredibly rare with an estimated population of less than 50 people. Similarly, in Canada, the UK, and Ukraine, it is also a very uncommon name.
Overall, the last name Rilski is most commonly found in Bulgaria. Although it is slightly more common in other countries, it is mostly limited to Bulgarian expats.
Variations of the surname Rilski
The surname Rilski has many variants, spellings, and surnames of similar origin. It is a common last name in countries such as Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, and Macedonia. It can be spelled in various ways depending on the origin and language of the person. Pronounced as Rhyllski in Bulgaria, the surname is commonly spelled Rilski, Rylski, Riljki, Ryljki, and Riľska. In Croatia and municipalities of Serbian-speaking areas, it is most often spelled as Rijlki.
In some regions of Croatia, variations of the surname include Rilši, Rilsky, Rilska, Reilcarevic, and Reyelcars. All these variants of the surname are derived from the town of Rijeka in Croatia.
In some countries, such as Macedonia and Serbia, Rilski is also derived from other personal names such as Rilsa, Rilsom, and Rilsas. It is associated with the Serbian-Macedonian family name Ryška, meaning “threshing barn”, which is related to the root word Rila.
In Hungary, Rilski is usually spelt as Rilcski. It is derived from the Hungarian family name Rilsky, which means “of the rye”.
Other surnames of similar origin include Rylskii in Russia, Relsky in Belarus, Ril’skaya in Ukraine, Reelskij in the former Soviet countries, and Rysk in Poland.
In general, all these surnames are derived from the same root word Rila, which means “rye” and “threshing barn”. These variants of the surname are mainly found in Slavic countries.
Famous people with the name Rilski
- Ivan Vazov (1850–1921): Bulgarian poet, novelist, playwright, and anthologist. He was the most famous Bulgarian poet of the 19th century.
- Marin Rilski (1793–1881): Bulgarian bishop of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, physician, and writer. He was one of the first Bulgarian intellectuals who supported the struggle for Bulgarian liberation from Ottoman rule.
- Konstantin Rilski (1788–1855): Bulgarian politician and statesman. He was a leader in the country's struggle for liberation from Ottoman rule, and was one of the founders of modern Bulgarian statehood.
- Nikolai Rilski (1869–1933): Bulgarian writer, playwright, and journalist. He was one of the most influential figures of the Bulgarian literary scene of the early 20th century.
- Alexander Rilski (1928–2005): Bulgarian actor and director. He was one of the most prolific and recognized Bulgarian actors of all time.
- Grigor Rilski (1830–1889): Bulgarian revolutionary and nationalist leader. He was one of the most prominent figures of the Bulgarian National Revival.
- Pavel Rilski (1874–1940): Bulgarian revolutionary and politician. He was a prominent figure in Bulgarian politics during the interwar period.
- Borislav Rilski (1864–1924): Bulgarian Georgian Orthodox priest, politician, and cultural figure. He was a leader of the Georgian minority in Bulgaria during the early 20th century.
- Vagif Rilski (1937–2011): Azerbaijani diplomat and ambassador. He was Azerbaijan's ambassador to the United Nations from 2002 to 2011.
- Rémi Rilski (1966–present): French film director. He has directed a number of films, including The Rescuers Down Under (1990), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), and The Princess and the Frog (2009).