Common Ukrainian last names begin with Melnyk, Shevchenko and Boiko: 16 of the twenty in Wikipedia’s table are among these 119 surnames. Each card prints the name in Cyrillic and Latin letters with the word it is built on.
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The most common Ukrainian surnames
The page opens on the 16 names that stand among the twenty most common in Wikipedia’s table of surnames of Ukraine, from Melnyk to Petrenko. In the dropdown under the button, All names deals from the whole list of 119.
Roots and endings
With All names chosen, Built on under More filters keeps the 69 names from a first name (Danylenko, from Danylo), the 23 from a trade or office (Bondarenko, from бондар, a cooper) or the 27 from another word or a place (Moroz, the word for frost). Ending keeps the 59 names in -enko, the 22 in -uk, -iuk or -chuk, the 4 in -skyi or the 34 with another ending, such as Koval and Honchar.
Tips
The Latin spelling follows Ukraine’s national system of 2010; a family may spell its name another way.
Where a word has several senses, the card prints the first one its dictionary entry gives.
Wikipedia’s article on Ukrainian surnames calls -uk and -iuk father’s-name endings and -skyi a place-name ending.
Questions and answers
What is the most common Ukrainian last name?
Melnyk, in Wikipedia’s table of the twenty most common surnames of Ukraine. Shevchenko, Boiko, Kovalenko and Bondarenko follow it. Melnyk is the Ukrainian word for a miller.
Why do Ukrainian last names end in -enko?
The ending -enko makes a surname from a father’s first name or trade: Petrenko is built on Petro and Kovalenko on the word for a smith. Wikipedia’s article on Ukrainian surnames says the ending is first recorded in the 15th century.
What do Ukrainian last names mean?
Many are built on a first name, as Vasylenko on Vasyl. Others name a trade: Shevchenko and Shevchuk come from швець, a shoemaker, Tkachenko from ткач, a weaver, and Honchar is the word for a potter.
How are Ukrainian last names spelled in English?
These cards use Ukraine’s national system of 2010, letter by letter: г is h and и is y, so Григоренко is Hryhorenko. Older spellings stay in use too, such as Boyko for the name printed here as Boiko.
Are these real Ukrainian surnames?
Yes. Each has an entry as a Ukrainian surname in English Wiktionary, and its root comes from that entry or, for three of the most common, from Wikipedia’s table. A card says nothing about any person who carries the name.
Boiko БойкоWikipedia’s table of common surnames glosses it as “combatant's”. Among Ukraine’s twenty most common in Wikipedia’s table.
Bondarenko БондаренкоBuilt on бондар (“cooper”) with the ending -енко. Among Ukraine’s twenty most common in Wikipedia’s table.
Koval КовальWikipedia’s table of common surnames glosses it as “smith”. Among Ukraine’s twenty most common in Wikipedia’s table.
Kovalchuk КовальчукWikipedia’s table of common surnames glosses it as “smith's”. Among Ukraine’s twenty most common in Wikipedia’s table.
Kovalenko КоваленкоBuilt on коваль (“smith”) with the ending -енко. Among Ukraine’s twenty most common in Wikipedia’s table.
Kravchenko КравченкоBuilt on кравець (“tailor”) with the ending -енко. Among Ukraine’s twenty most common in Wikipedia’s table.
Melnyk МельникFrom the word мельник (“miller”). Among Ukraine’s twenty most common in Wikipedia’s table.
Moroz МорозFrom the word мороз (“frost”). Among Ukraine’s twenty most common in Wikipedia’s table.
Petrenko ПетренкоBuilt on the first name Петро (Petro) with the ending -енко. Among Ukraine’s twenty most common in Wikipedia’s table.
Polishchuk ПоліщукFrom the word поліщук (“Polesian”). Among Ukraine’s twenty most common in Wikipedia’s table.
Savchenko СавченкоBuilt on the first name Савко (Savko) with the ending -енко. Among Ukraine’s twenty most common in Wikipedia’s table.
Shevchenko ШевченкоBuilt on швець (“shoemaker”) with the ending -енко. Among Ukraine’s twenty most common in Wikipedia’s table.
Shevchuk ШевчукBuilt on швець (“shoemaker, cobbler”) with the ending -ук. Among Ukraine’s twenty most common in Wikipedia’s table.
Tkachenko ТкаченкоBuilt on ткач (“weaver”) with the ending -енко. Among Ukraine’s twenty most common in Wikipedia’s table.
Tkachuk ТкачукBuilt on ткач (“weaver”) with the ending -ук. Among Ukraine’s twenty most common in Wikipedia’s table.
Yakovenko ЯковенкоBuilt on the first name Яків (Yakiv) with the ending -енко. Among Ukraine’s twenty most common in Wikipedia’s table.
More Ukrainian last names 103
Adamchuk АдамчукBuilt on the first name Адам (Adam) with the endings -ко and -ук.
Adamenko АдаменкоBuilt on the first name Адам (Adam) with the ending -енко.
Adamovych АдамовичBuilt on the first name Адам (Adam) with the ending -ович.
Andriienko АндрієнкоBuilt on the first name Андрій (Andrii) with the ending -єнко.
Antoniuk АнтонюкBuilt on the first name Антон (Anton) with the ending -юк.
Antoniv АнтонівBuilt on the first name Антон (Anton) with the ending -ів.
Avramenko АвраменкоBuilt on the first name Аврам (Avram) with the ending -енко.
Basko БаскоProbably from the word баско (“stubborn worker”).
Bohdanenko БогданенкоBuilt on the first name Богдан (Bohdan) with the ending -енко.
Cherkaskyi ЧеркаськийBuilt on the place name Черкаси (Cherkasy) with the ending -ський.
Chornobai ЧорнобайBuilt from чорний (“black”) + -о- + бай (“rich”).
Chubynskyi ЧубинськийBuilt on чуб (“oseledets, traditional Ukrainian Cossack hairstyle”) with the endings -ин and -ський.
Danylenko ДаниленкоBuilt on the first name Данило (Danylo) with the ending -енко.
Davydovych ДавидовичBuilt on the first name Давид (Davyd) with the ending -ович.
Denysenko ДенисенкоBuilt on the first name Денис (Denys) with the ending -енко.
Diachenko ДяченкоBuilt on дяк (“dyak, a low-ranked clergyman”) with the ending -енко.
Diachok ДячокBuilt on дяк (“dyak, a low-ranked clergyman”) with the ending -ок.
Dmytrenko ДмитренкоBuilt on the first name Дмитро (Dmytro) with the ending -енко.
Dovbush ДовбушBuilt on довбош (“woodpecker”).
Dovzhenko ДовженкоBuilt on довгий (“long”) with the ending -енко.
Fedorenko ФедоренкоBuilt on the first name Федір (Fedir) with the ending -енко.
Fedorets ФедорецьBuilt on the first name Федір (Fedir) with the ending -ець.
Fedorovych ФедоровичBuilt on the first name Федір (Fedir) with the ending -ович.
Gava ҐаваFrom the word ґава (“crow”).
Havryliuk ГаврилюкBuilt on the first name Гаврило (Havrylo) with the ending -юк.
Hlibenko ГлібенкоBuilt on the first name Гліб (Hlib) with the ending -енко.
Hnatiuk ГнатюкBuilt on the first name Гнат (Hnat) with the ending -юк.
Hohol ГогольFrom the word гоголь (“common goldeneye, Bucephala clangula”).
Honchar ГончарFrom the word гончар (“potter”).
Honcharenko ГончаренкоBuilt on гончар (“potter”) with the ending -енко.
Hordiienko ГордієнкоBuilt on the first name Гордій (Hordii) with the ending -єнко.
Hrushevskyi ГрушевськийBuilt on грушевий (“made of pears”) with the ending -ський.
Hryhorenko ГригоренкоBuilt on the first name Григорій (Hryhorii) with the ending -енко.
Hryhoriv ГригорівBuilt on the first name Григір (Hryhir) with the ending -ів.
Hryhorovych ГригоровичBuilt on the first name Григір (Hryhir) with the ending -ович.
Hrytsyshyn ГрицишинBuilt on the first name Гриць (Hryts) with the ending -ишин.
Humeniuk ГуменюкBuilt on гуменний (“a steward in charge of a threshing floor”) with the ending -юк.
Hurchenko ГурченкоBuilt on гуркіт (“rumble, roar”) with the ending -енко.
Hyrenko ГиренкоBuilt on гиря (“weight”) with the ending -енко.
Ihnatenko ІгнатенкоBuilt on the first name Ігнат (Ihnat) with the ending -енко.
Ihorenko ІгоренкоBuilt on the first name Ігор (Ihor) with the ending -енко.
Ilin ІльїнBuilt on the first name Ілля (Illia) with the ending -їн.
Ivaniv ІванівBuilt on the first name Іван (Ivan) with the ending -ів.
Ivankiv ІванківBuilt on the first name Іванко (Ivanko) with the ending -ів.
Kharchenko ХарченкоBuilt on харч (“food, grub”) with the ending -енко.
Khomenko ХоменкоBuilt on the first name Хома (Khoma) with the ending -енко.
Klopotenko КлопотенкоBuilt on клопіт (“care”) with the ending -енко.
Klymchuk КлимчукBuilt on the first name Клим (Klym) with the endings -ко and -ук.
Klymenko КлименкоBuilt on the first name Клим (Klym) with the ending -енко.
Komisaruk КомісарукBuilt on комісар (“commissar”) with the ending -ук.
Kostiuk КостюкBuilt on the first name Костя (Kostia) with the ending -юк.
Kotsiubynskyi КоцюбинськийBuilt on коцюба (“firestick, poker”) with the endings -ин and -ський.
Kozak КозакFrom the word козак (“Cossack”).
Kravchuk КравчукBuilt on кравець (“tailor”).
Kyrylenko КириленкоBuilt on the first name Кирило (Kyrylo) with the ending -енко.
Leontovych ЛеонтовичBuilt on the first name Леонтій (Leontii) with the ending -ович.
Lotysh ЛотишLikely from the word лотиш (“a Latvian”).
Lukianenko Лук'яненкоBuilt on the first name Лук'ян (Lukian) with the ending -енко.
Maistrenko МайстренкоBuilt on майстер (“expert, master”) with the ending -енко.
Marchuk МарчукBuilt on the first name Марко (Marko) with the ending -ук.
Matviienko МатвієнкоBuilt on the first name Матвій (Matvii) with the ending -єнко.
Melnychenko МельниченкоBuilt on мельник (“miller”) with the ending -енко.
Miroshnychenko МірошниченкоBuilt on мірошник (“miller”) with the ending -енко.
Morozyk МорозикBuilt on мороз (“frost”) with the ending -ик.
Mykhailenko МихайленкоBuilt on the first name Михайло (Mykhailo) with the ending -енко.
Mykolaichuk МиколайчукBuilt on the first name Миколай (Mykolai) with the ending -ук.
Mykolaienko МиколаєнкоBuilt on the first name Миколай (Mykolai) with the ending -єнко.
Mykolenko МиколенкоBuilt on the first name Микола (Mykola) with the ending -енко.
Mykytenko МикитенкоBuilt on the first name Микита (Mykyta) with the ending -енко.
Oleksandrenko ОлександренкоBuilt on the first name Олександр (Oleksandr) with the ending -енко.
Oleksiienko ОлексієнкоBuilt on the first name Олексій (Oleksii) with the ending -єнко.
Oliinyk ОлійникBuilt on олія (“vegetable oil, plant oil”) with the ending -ник.
Panasenko ПанасенкоBuilt on the first name Панас (Panas) with the ending -енко.
Pavlenko ПавленкоBuilt on the first name Павло (Pavlo) with the ending -енко.
Ponomarenko ПономаренкоBuilt on пономар (“sexton”) with the ending -енко.
Prokopchuk ПрокопчукBuilt on the first name Прокіп (Prokip) with the ending -чук.
Pylypenko ПилипенкоBuilt on the first name Пилип (Pylyp) with the ending -енко.
Romanenko РоманенкоBuilt on the first name Роман (Roman) with the ending -енко.
Romaniuk РоманюкBuilt on the first name Роман (Roman) with the ending -юк.
Samoilenko СамойленкоBuilt on the first name Самійло (Samiilo) with the ending -енко.
Savchuk СавчукBuilt on the first name Савко (Savko) with the ending -ук.
Semenenko СемененкоBuilt on the first name Семен with the ending -енко.
Semeniuk СеменюкBuilt on the first name Семен with the ending -юк.
Shulha ШульгаFrom the word шульга (“left-handed person”).
Skovoroda СковородаFrom the word сковорода (“frying pan”).
Stepanenko СтепаненкоBuilt on the first name Степан (Stepan) with the ending -енко.
Sternenko СтерненкоBuilt on стерня (“stubble”) with the ending -енко.
Stoliar СтолярFrom the word столяр (“carpenter”).
Svitlychnyi СвітличнийBuilt on світло (“light”) with the ending -ичний.
Tarasenko ТарасенкоBuilt on the first name Тарас (Taras) with the ending -енко.
Tymoshchuk ТимощукBuilt on the first name Тиміш (Tymish) with the ending -щук.
Tymoshenko ТимошенкоBuilt on the first name Тиміш (Tymish) with the ending -енко.
Vasylenko ВасиленкоBuilt on the first name Василь (Vasyl) with the ending -енко.
Volodymyrenko ВолодимиренкоBuilt on the first name Володимир (Volodymyr) with the ending -енко.
Yaremenko ЯременкоBuilt on the first name Ярема (Yarema) with the ending -енко.
Yashchuk ЯщукBuilt on the first name Яків (Yakiv) with the ending -ук.
Yevhenenko ЄвгененкоBuilt on the first name Євген (Yevhen) with the ending -енко.
Yizhakevych ЇжакевичBuilt on їжак (“hedgehog”) with the ending -евич.
Yosypenko ЙосипенкоBuilt on the first name Йосип (Yosyp) with the ending -енко.
Zakharchuk ЗахарчукBuilt on the first name Захар (Zakhar) with the endings -ко and -ук.
Zakharenko ЗахаренкоBuilt on the first name Захар (Zakhar) with the ending -енко.
Zalizniak ЗалізнякBuilt on залізо (“iron”).
Zaporozhets ЗапорожецьFrom the word запорожець (“Zaporozhian, Zaporozhian Cossack”).
How this list was compiled
Built on 3 October 2026 from public pages read that day. One: English Wiktionary's Ukrainian surname entries (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Category:Ukrainian_surnames, CC BY-SA 4.0; 375 entries that day). A name is listed when its entry is a Ukrainian surname in the form a man carries, is not marked as taken from Russian, and has an etymology that names the Ukrainian word or first name it is built on; the card gives that word in Ukrainian letters with the ending the entry names (116 cards). The meaning of a word is the gloss the surname's entry gives or, where it gives none, the first sense of the word's own entry in the same dictionary, cut to two glosses; a first name is identified by its own dictionary entry and shown with a Latin spelling (two cards give it in Ukrainian letters alone), without the English name some entries pair it with. A root is what the dictionary records for the surname in general, not for any one family, and where a word has several senses the first one printed may not be the one a family's name began with. Two: the Ukraine table of English Wikipedia's 'List of most common surnames in European countries' (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_common_surnames_in_European_countries#Ukraine), twenty surnames with a gloss; 16 of the twenty have a dictionary entry and are here, their cards say so, and 3 of them carry the table's gloss because the dictionary entry has no etymology or gives one without a meaning. Left out as our own call: names whose entry builds them on a word for a drink, a weapon, a crowd or a people's nickname, names from a word of another language, joke names, forms that are a father's-name form and not a surname, one name whose stated root the dictionary's own word of the same spelling does not bear out, and four names best known for one political or military leader. One more name that passed the rule (the word for a magpie) is left off because the bird list of this site holds it and has no room under the site's cap on shared names. The Latin spelling is made letter by letter with Ukraine's national system of 2010 (the table in English Wikipedia's 'Romanization of Ukrainian', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanization_of_Ukrainian); a family may spell its name another way. The sorting by what a name is built on is ours, read from the gloss: a first name, a trade or office, or another word (a nickname, a thing, a place or a people). The lines on the endings were read in English Wikipedia's 'Ukrainian surnames' (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainian_surnames). Counted on 3 October 2026, matched on the Cyrillic spelling: 0 of 119 names (0.0 in 100) also stand in another list of this site; cap 40. Licence: Drawn from English Wiktionary and English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). The selection, the sorting, the Latin spellings and the wording of the cards are our own work.