This is a reply within a larger thread: view the whole thread

Re: Meaning of Sushkov
in reply to a message by Marc
Anybody know any Russian? the name is explained here -
http://mirimen.com/co_fam/Sushkov-30F4.html
From what I can make out the basis of the name is SUKHOI, meaning "dry, arid", which looks like it could be a locative description. But there is also a reference to a meaning "thin, gaunt", so perhaps describing a person.
vote up1vote down

Replies

Thanks for the explanation!
Do you think it is possible that Sushko or Sushka was also a personal name in Russia (besides in many other slavic countries) and it was maybe used as short for the name Francis?
I got this idea by searching on the internet - for example I found out that Suske is short for Francis in flemish - and then it seems that last names containing the root Sushk- are widespread in many slavic countries (for example Suska, Suskic, Suskovic, Suszka, Suszko, etc) - the name Francis has been widespread in Europe throughout the centuries.
vote up1vote down
If it is from a diminutive of a given name I don't think it will be Francis. St. Francis (of Assisi) is a saint of the western church. I don't think the name had any currency in the orthodox churches of Eastern Europe and the Balkans.
vote up1vote down