What does "ciuk" mean?

[Serhii]

Oh no , I don’t think you come from this royal family. I have never head anything about it BTW ( it is one of many legends form prehistoric period ). You could try any royal family with the same success.

As for SAM in Polish – we have the same pronoun with absolutely the same meaning. But no family name could start from it in both languages.

I am absolutely sure that your original name used to be SAVCHUK and then was twisted many times. In Ukrainian it is САВЧУК and tells about a person who originally was fom SAVA ‘s family.

Seems you lost any connection to your native language and culture , that is the reason of this confusion.

Dennis Halushka ( look above ) is well protected forever. No one could change or misunderstand his name. It is very colorful , bright , 100 % Ukrainian one. I only wish he preserved and passed it further in his family. ‘ Our names are a part of our heritage..

[Polakdave]

How would "Sav" come from "Samo"


Hmm, until I figure this out, I will continue to believe I am from King Samo :P

But then again, my grandpa always said that my family originated from the Mongols, so maybe when the Tatars came and mingled with the Ukrainians my name started. Would there be any correlation to the work "Sam" from that?

Thanks for taking the time to respond, by the way.

[Hannia]

Cowboydave,

No offense, but I think you are missing the whole point of Serhii's post. Technically there is no such surname as Samochuk in Ukrainian. I couldn't find it anywhere. The CHUK surname suffix is distinctly Ukrainian, but the root in combination w/the suffix, seems not to exist. Therefore his conclusion, that root may possibly be incorrect and more likely SAVA, is a reasonable assumption. I on the other hand think that your assumption re suffix is incorrect and the surname is very probably SAMOCIUK/SAMOSIUK.

Have you been able to trace the surname back to the 17th/18th century? It is quite a leap from the 20th to the the 7th century. Through National Geographic, you could have DNA testing, which should provide you w/a 25,000 yr old window (Little Ice Age) into your heritage???

Samo was a 7th century Frank merchant, which should show up in your bloodline, if your leap of faith assumption is correct.

https://genographic.nationalgeograph...hic/index.html

PS> Since Samo was Frank and spoke Frankish, you might want to further investigate the meaning of root SAMO in Latin and Old Germanic???

[Polakdave]

Dear Hannia,

Thanks for the reply. I can't really trace anything until I go back to Poland. I'd have to visit Biała Podlaska, which is where my grandpa was born... Sorta... Apparently he was born on a train, so I don't even know where he'd be registered, haha.

Thanks for the the link to that National Geographic DNA thing. I think I might end up using it.

[Hannia]

Dave,

Consider possible Greek roots for your surname. Probably more likely than Samo, the Frank.

Samos (Greek: Σάμος) is a Greek island in the North Aegean sea, south of Chios, north of Patmos and the Dodecanese, and off the coast of Asia Minor.

Happy New Year !!!

[Serhii]

Hannia,

Than you for joining the conversation and checking all possible names – I have never heard such ones in my region as well. But there is another very interesting turn in conversation as for me .

Famous Ukrainian writer Ulas SAMCHUK was born in Wolyn’ ( the village of Derman’ ). His grave is in Toronto.

Doesn’t it look like the name we are talking about ? It is little twisted , only one letter is missed.
The root is the same - SAM.

As for Tatars - they lived and still live in those areas. I don’t know where that Biala Podliaska is ( perhaps close to Ukrainian border with mixed population ).

Originally you are from Wolyn’ and have some Tatars’ blood as well . Cowboydave insists on having the same . Isn't he your remote relative or countryman at least ?

Keep digging !

[Hannia]

Cowboy,

Surname does get more hits as/SAMCZUK, but still it's limited to mainly the writer.

Ulas is an interesting given name. Have never encountered it before. Could be equivalent to Julian in English???

We have several members w/Tatar heritage here, including me. My maternal family is primarily Tatar.
___________________________________________________

Serhii,

I would like to thank you for your participation in our forum. I think that having an Eastern Ukrainian and Cossack perspective is invaluable to all of us here.

Khrystos Rozhdayetsia ... Schaslyvoho Novoho Roku !!!