Locative Names
All in all, Russian locative names, names based on places, are not very common in period. This is part of the reason it can be hard to see what the rules are for constructing such a name. It is also because Russians (much like the English) seem to like to use strange, archaic, and even foreign forms in their place names. Here is my attempt to make sense of it all. It is a work-in-progress.
There are four different types of toponymic bynames per Wickenden. He includes unmarked locatives in the Noun Type (Type II), but I think it is useful to separate them out to make them easier to find since the topic of unmarked locative bynames creates a fair amount of angst in SCA heralds.
I. With Prepositions. The Russian equivalent of Ann of Cleves, William Attewell, etc. Arguably non-existant in Russian.
II. Nouns. The Russian equivalent of Londoner, Muscovite, etc. Much more common than above. Appear in 12-13th cent. and die out by end of Middle Ages. Became the basis of some surnames.
The cliff notes version of constructing the Noun Form in Wickenden is, if the city name ends in a hard consonant, to just add -ets. (All Russian consonants are considered hard consonants except sh, zh, ch, shch, and ts.) However, there are lots of exceptions to that rule such as alternate endings and consonant shifts, and there are many place names that don't end in hard consonants.
The best option is to try to find the modern Russian version of the word - it's a good place to start to look for the period version. And even if we can't document that exact form in a period source, it's way more likely to be a period Russian word than something non-native Russian heralds would cook up.
III. Patronymics. Using the patronymic form of a place name to indicate one is a sort of "son of Kiev", eg. Kievich. Also include patronymics derived from Type II Noun bynames such as Novgorodtsev (patronymic) from Novgorodets (noun) from Novgorod. Appear in 12-13th centuries and many survive as modern surnames.
IV. Adjectives. In English, toponymic adjectives and nouns are hard to tell apart, e.g. I'm an American (noun) vs. I'm an American (adj.) citizen. The difference is quite distinct in Russian: amerikanets/amerikanka (noun) vs. amerikanskij/aya (adj.). Such names first appear in 11th cent. but only begin to be common in the 13th cent. By the 14th-15th cent. was the accepted form in court documents when legal residency was to be recorded and was the most common toponymic form by late period. Tended to evolved into surnames.
Adjectival locative bynames take the same form as standard locative adjectives, i.e. there is no difference between the adjective when describing an object vs. used as a byname. Most of the time, one can just add the adjectival ending to the place name, but NOT always!!!!
a. If the place name ends in a consonant, then generally add -skoj or -skii (masculine) and -skaya (fem), eg. Bolkhov -> Bolkhovskoi, Belogorod -> Belogorodskyi. Consonant mutations may occur, eg. Galich -> Galitskij. The modern Russian adjective form is -skii, not -skoi. -skoi would be genetive case, not nominative case. But there are several examples of placenames using the -skoi ending in Wickenden, esp. in late period. As early forms of -skoi found in Wickenden's 2nd edition: Davydov'skoi dated to 1386 as the de-patronymed form of Davydov'skogo, Iskoi as a martyr in 13-14th century Church Calendars per Wickenden, Khorvatskoi is the 1087 de-patronymed form Khorvatskogo, Paskoi is dated to 1421, Polotskoi dates to 980.
b. If the placename already ends in -sk', just add the -oi/yj/ii/aya ending, eg. Polotsk -> Polotskoi, Polot'skyi.
c. If the place name ends in -vl', well, I only have two examples so far, but it looks like one just adds skij, etc. although one of the examples dropped the final l, eg. Iaroslavl -> Iaroslavskii (dropped l), Putivl' -> Putivl'skii.
d. If the place name ends in ts, the one example I have so far just adds kii/kyj/kaya, eg. Gorodets -> Gorodetskaya.
e. If the place name ends in -a, one must modify the name in various ways to get rid of the -a before adding skoi/skii/skyi/skaia.
- Usually, one just drops the -a before adding the adjectival ending, eg. Poltava -> Poltavskii.
- But if dropping the a would create an awkward consonant blend, then filler vowels must be used - apparently using the same rules Wickenden discusses in Appendix B: Dictionary of Name Roots. Eg. Moskva -> Moskv -> Moskov -> Moskovskij.
- In addition, sometimes consonants mutate in the process, eg. Kaluga -> Kaluzhskij.
V. Unmarked. Using the unmodified placename as a byname (or given name), as in the English example of Matthew Paris. A variation of Type II in Wickenden's scheme.
In the following tables:
Terms from Wickenden are in standard font. Bolded terms are from Wickenden's article Locative Bynames in Medieval Russia.
Terms from Sreznevsky are in italic font and have been "normalized" to my modern Cyrillic transliteration system.
Terms from Lomonosov are in Blue. His rules for constructing locatives from place names are below the tables.
Terms from Karnovich are in blue italic. (pp 46-47).
Terms from Royal Titles are in Green.
Baecklund is in green italic.
Terms from Modern Russian are in Red.
| City ending in -ov/-ev/ovo | With preposition | Noun | Patronymics | Adjectives | Unmarked | Sources/Notes |
| Azov | Azovskij | Azov | Not labeled as a toponym | |||
| Belev | Belevets | Not labeled as a toponym. | ||||
| Bolkhov | Bolkhovitin" | Bolkhovskoi | ||||
| Boriso-Glebov | Borisoglebskaia Sloboda | |||||
| Bortnikovo | Bortnichskoi | |||||
| Chernigov | Chernigov'skij | Chernigov, Chernigova, Chr'nigova | ||||
| Ivashkovo | Ivashkov'skii | |||||
| Kanev | Kanevets | Not labeled as a toponym. | ||||
| Khvostovo | Khvastovskoi | |||||
| Kiev | Kievlianin, Kiianin | Kievich, Kyianinov | Kievskij | Kiev | ||
| Kolganovo | Kolganovskoi | |||||
| Korelovo | Korelovskoi | |||||
| L'vov | L'vovyanin | L'vovich | L'vovskij | |||
| Mikhajlov" | Mikhajlovets"; Mikhajlovka | |||||
| Odoev | Odoevich, Odoevtsova | Odoeva | ||||
| Porkhov | Porokhovshchik | |||||
| Pskov | Pskovitin | Pskovskoi, Pskovski, Pskov'skij | ||||
| With Preposition | Noun | Patronymic | Adjective | Unmarked | ||
| Riapolovo | Riapolovskii, Riapolovskoi | |||||
| Rogachev | Rogachovskii | |||||
| Rogov | Rogovskii | |||||
| Romodanovo | Romodanovskoi, Romodanovskii | |||||
| Rostov, Rostov", | Rostovets, Rostovka, Rostovets"; Rostovka, Rostovets | Rostovtsov | Rostovskii, Rostovskoi, Rostovskij | |||
| Rzev | Rzevskii | Rzeva (Type?) | "of the city of Rzev" | |||
| Rzhev | Rzhevskii | |||||
| Serpukhov", | Serpukhovets", | |||||
| Teliatevo | Teliatevskii | |||||
| Turov | Turovets | Turov | ||||
| Vasharovo | Vasarovitin | |||||
| Vel'iadovo | Vel'iadovskoi | |||||
| Venev | Venevitin" | |||||
| Verznevo | Ver'znevskii | |||||
| Verderev(o) | Verderevskoi | "inhabitant of Verderevo" | ||||
| City ending in -a | With preposition | Noun | Patronymics | Adjectives | Unmarked | Sources/Notes |
| Baga | Bazhenin" and Bagan" | |||||
| Bolgariya | Bolgarskaya | |||||
| Borovaia | z Borovyie derevni | |||||
| Dvina | Dvinyanin" | |||||
| Gertsegovina | Khertsegovin, Kher, Kheron | "Hercegovinian" | ||||
| Irdma (River) | Irdmin | |||||
| Istoma | Istomka | Istomich, Istomin | Istoma | |||
| Kaluga | Kaluzhka | Kaluzheninov | Kaluzhskij | Kaluga, Koluga | ||
| Kisnoma | Kir'stnom'skoi | |||||
| Kolomna | Kolomian'ka | Kolomin | Kolomenskij | Kolomna | ||
| Kostroma
Kostroma |
Kostrominich, Kostromitin,
Kostromitin" and Kostromich"; |
Kostromkin, Kostrominich, Kostromitinov | Kostromskoj | Kostroma | ||
| Kunesta | is Kunesti | |||||
| Ladoga | Ladozhanin", Ladozhanka | Ladogin | Ladoga | |||
| Leshmina | Leshminskoi | |||||
| Luzhna | Luzhnik (?) | Not labeled as a toponym | ||||
| Preposition | Noun | Patronymic | Adjective | Unmarked | ||
| Mana | Maniak, Man'iak | |||||
| Melecha (River) | Meletskii | |||||
| Mel'nitsa | Melnits'kii | |||||
| Molva (River) | Molvanin | |||||
| Moskva
Moskva |
Moskvitin, Moskovka, Moskvitin", Moskvich" | Moskvin, Moskovchich, Moskovkin, Moskvina | Moskovskij, Moskovskaya,Moskovskij | Moskva | ||
| Mostovaia | Mostovskii | |||||
| Neledina (River) | Neledinskii | |||||
| Onega | Onezhanin" | |||||
| Pestovskaia | Pestovo (-> ?) | Pestoskii | ||||
| Pinega | Pinezhenin" | Pinega | ||||
| Poltava, Ltava | Poltavskii | Not labeled as a toponym | ||||
| Potrocha | Potrech | |||||
| Preposition | Noun | Patronymic | Adjective | Unmarked | ||
| Samara | Samarin, Samarina | |||||
| Sarskaia | Sarskaya | |||||
| Shakhova | Shakov'skoi | |||||
| Shiriatskaia | Shiriatskii | |||||
| Sotnitsa | Sotnitskii | |||||
| Tal'sha | Talshanin | |||||
| Tolstikova | Tolstikovskii | |||||
| Tula | Tulyak ? | |||||
| Ukhtoma (city and/or river?) | Ukhtomskii | "inhabitant of Ukhtom River area" | ||||
| Vaga | Vazhenin" | |||||
| Vereya | iz" Verei | |||||
| Vezhishcha | Vezhishcha | p. 43 | ||||
| Viatka | Viatski | same as Vyatka | ||||
| Viaz'ma | Viazma | |||||
| Vilna, Vilnius | Vil'nia | "of Vilnius" | ||||
| Vokshera | Voksherin | |||||
| Volga (River) | Volgin | Volga | ||||
| Vologda | Vologzhanin" | |||||
| Vyatka | Vyatchanin", Vyatchanka | Vyatski | ||||
| Zhmuda | Zhmuttskii |
| City ending in -vl' | With preposition | Noun | Patronymics | Adjectives | Unmarked | Sources/Notes |
| Iaroslavl'
Yaroslavl", |
Yaroslavets"; Yaroslavets | Yaroslavskij
Yaroslav'skij |
||||
| Putivl' | Putivlets | Putivlich | Putivl'skii | Not labeled as a toponym | ||
| City ending in -gorod | With preposition | Noun | Patronymics | Adjectives | Unmarked | Sources/Notes |
| Belogorod | Belogorodskyi | also in W. grammar | ||||
| Nizhnij Novgorod | Nizhgorodets | Nizhegorodskij | ||||
| Novgorod | Novgorodets, Nougorodets,Novgorodets | Novgorodov, Nougorodov,Novgorodtsova, Novgorodtsev,Novgorodov | Novgorodskij, Novogorodskij, Novogorod"tsski, Novogorodtskij | |||
| Vyshegorod | Vyshegorodov | |||||
| Vyshgorod | Vyshegorodov | duplicate/typo? | ||||
| Zvenigorod, Zvenigorod" | Zvenigorodets"; | Zvenigorodskii, Zvenigorodskoi |
| City ending in -sk, -sk" | With preposition | Noun | Patronymics | Adjectives | Unmarked | Sources/Notes |
| Arkhangel'sk | Arkhangel'skij | Wickenden doesn't actually label this form as a toponym. | ||||
| Drutsk, Driutesk, Driutsk | Drutskii | Not labeled as a toponym | ||||
| Izborsk" | Izborchanin | |||||
| Kursk | Kur'ianin | |||||
| Mozhaisk
Mozhajsk" |
iz" Mozhajska | Mozhaiskii | ||||
| Myl'sk | Myl'skii | |||||
| Obdorsk | Obdor'skij | |||||
| Obolensk | Obolenskova | Obolenskii, Obolenskoi | ||||
| Polotsk | Polotsko, Polotska, Polotsanin, Polochanin | Polotskoi, Polot'skyi | Polots'k | "of Polotsk" | ||
| Smolensk, Smolensk", | Smolianin, Smol'nianin,Smol'yanin" | Smolenskii, Smolenskij, Smolen'skij | "of Smolensk" | |||
| Trubetsk | Trubetskoi |
| City ending in -ets | With preposition | Noun | Patronymics | Adjectives | Unmarked | Sources/Notes |
| Donets | Donets | as a first name | ||||
| Gorodets | Gorodetskaya | |||||
| (Novogorodets) | Novogorod"tsski | probably just an alternate spelling of Novgorodskij | ||||
| Olonets" | Olonchanin" | |||||
| Toropets" | Toropchanin" |
| Place ending in consonant | With preposition | Noun | Patronymics | Adjectives | Unmarked | Sources/Notes |
| Arbuzheves' | Arbozhov'skii | |||||
| Bagut | Baguta | |||||
| Bar | Barskii | Not labeled as a toponym. | ||||
| Barukh | Baroch | |||||
| Boldyzh | Boldyzhev, Bodyzhevich | Boldyzh' | ||||
| Borodin | Borodinskii | |||||
| Bulich | Bulychev | Bulych | ||||
| Don (River) | Donskii, Donskoi, Zadonskii (by the Don) | "from the river Don region" | ||||
| Preposition | Noun | Patronymic | Adjective | Unmarked | Notes | |
| Galich | Galichanin | Galitskii - under Iaroslavl' Galitskii | ||||
| Gavino | Gavinskoi | |||||
| Kholm | Kholmitin | Kholmov | Kholmskii, Kholmovoi, Kholm'skii,Kholmskij | "hill" | ||
| Kurmysh | Kurmyshev | Kurmyshskaya | Kurmysh | Not labeled as a toponym | ||
| Kuzmin | Kuzminskogo | |||||
| Liubech | Liubchanina, Liubechanin | |||||
| Milovsh | Milovsh | |||||
| Murom | Muromets, Muromets | Muromstov | ||||
| Preposition | Noun | Patronymic | Adjective | Unmarked | Notes | |
| Perm | Permitin | Perminov (Grishka Perminov, 1622) | Permskaya, Permskij, Perm'skij | |||
| Podol | Podolets | Podolov | Podolskii, Podol'nii, Podolskaya | "inhabitant of Podol'sk region" | ||
| Pogost | Pogoshchi "of the parish" | |||||
| Radogoshch | Radogoshchskij | |||||
| Radonezh | Radonizhskoi | |||||
| Riazan | Riazanets | Riazanich, Riazanov, Rezanov, Rezanovich, etc. | Riazanskii/aia, Rezanyi, Ryazanskij, Rezanskij (alt. spell?) | Riazan | ||
| Shukhomash | Shukhomsha | |||||
| Starodub | Starodubets | Starodubov | Starodubskii, Starodubski, Starodubskoi | Starodub | "inhabitant of Starodub" | |
| Preposition | Noun | Patronymic | Adjective | Unmarked | Notes | |
| Vladimir | Vladimirskij, Vladymerskij | |||||
| Volodymyr | Volodimirski, Volodimerskij | alt. spelling of Vladimir | ||||
| (Yugor?) | Yugorski | |||||
| Zhitomir | Zhitomirich, Zhidimirich, Zhidomirich | "of Zhitomir" | ||||
| Zbarazh | Zbarazhskii |
| Place ending in o, e, i, " or ' | With preposition | Noun | Patronymics | Adjectives | Unmarked | Sources/Notes | |
| Arbuzheves' | Arbozhov'skii | ||||||
| Beli | |||||||
| Belino | z Belina | ||||||
| Beloozero, Belozero | Belozerets | Belozerov | Beloozerskij | ||||
| Cherkassii (?) | Cherkas | "Circasian" | |||||
| Gavino | |||||||
| Gorodishche | Gorodisha | ||||||
| Iaropolch' | Iaropolchicha | ||||||
| Iukhot' | Iukhotskoi | ||||||
| Ivonino | Ivoninskoi | ||||||
| Ivoninskoe | Ivoninskoi | ||||||
| Kalitino | Kalitinskoi | ||||||
| Kargopol' | Kargopolets, Kargapolets | Kargapol | "crow's field" | ||||
| Kashin" | Kashinets" | ||||||
| Kazan' | Kazanets, Kazanets | Kazan' | |||||
| Kem' | Kemskii | ||||||
| Kivoi | Kivoiskii | ||||||
| Kholmogory | Kholmogorets", Kholmogor" | ||||||
| Klimshino | Klimshinskii | ||||||
| Klin" | iz" Klina | Klintsov | |||||
| Kuchki | Kuchetskoi | ||||||
| Kunil' | Kunilov | ||||||
| Kusakinskoe | Kusakinskoi | ||||||
| Medyn' | Mendynka (?) | Medynstov | |||||
| Miloslavskoe | Miloslavskoi | ||||||
| Mozyr' | Mozyrev | Mozyr' | Not labeled as a toponym, but is in the Locative Names article | ||||
| Napol'skoe | Napolskii, Napol'skoi | ||||||
| Novosil' | Novosilets, Novosilits | Novosiltsov, Novosil'tsov, Novosil'tsev | |||||
| Porech'e | Poretskii, Poretskoi | ||||||
| Priazhino | Priazhinskoi | ||||||
| Prokhorskoe | Prokhor'skoi | ||||||
| Pruzhinino | Pruzhinskoi | ||||||
| Pupki | Pupkovskii | ||||||
| Riapolovo | Riapolovskii, Riapolovskoi | ||||||
| Sarai | Saraev | ||||||
| Savino | Saviniskii | ||||||
| Suzdal' | Suzdalets | Suzdal'skii, Suzdalskii, Suzdol'skoi, suzdalskoj | "Suzdalite" "of Suzdal" | ||||
| Preposition | Noun | Patronymic | Adjective | Unmarked | Notes | ||
| Tfer" | Tferitin" | Tferski | probably same as Tver | ||||
| Tolmach' | Tolmachev | Tolmach' | |||||
| Tver' | Tveritin, Tverityanin" | Tverev, Tverkov | Tverskoi | ||||
| Volyn' | Volynets | Volynstov | |||||
| Vysheslavskoe | Vysheslavtsev | ||||||
| Zamytskii | Zamytskoi, Zamyttskogo | ||||||
| Zastolb'e | Zastolbskii |
| Compound placename | With preposition | Noun | Patronymics | Adjectives | Unmarked | Sources/Notes |
| Nizhnii Novgorod | Nizhgorodets | Nizhegorodskij | ||||
| Torzhok, Novyj Torg | Novotorzhanin, Novotorzhets, Novotorzhets | |||||
| Tsarevo Gorodishche | Tsaregorodtsev | |||||
| Ugleche Pole | Uglechenin | |||||
| Ust'-Shekhonskaia | Shokhonskii | |||||
| Velikii Dvor | iz Velikogo Dvora | |||||
| ?Velikii Perm | Velikopermskii | "of Veliko Perm" | ||||
| ?Velikii Pogost | Velikopogostskoi | "great district" | ||||
| ?Velik... Pol... | Velkopolskoi | "of Great Poland" | ||||
Lomonosov says (http://www.ruthenia.ru/apr/textes/lomonos/lomon01/200-279.htm):
Article 231: Home or native-land indicating names for the most part end in ets", and especially those which end in v", and are akin to possessive: Rostov", Rostovets"; Mikhajlov", Mikhajlovets"; Serpukhov", Serpukhovets", also Yaroslavl", Yaroslavets"; Zvenigorod", Zvenigorodets"; Kashin", Kashinets".
Article 232: Not small number have native-land names in in", and most of all ending in a and ", river meaning or from river origin of name: Moskva, Moskvitin"; Kostroma, Kostromitin"; Vologda, Vologzhanin"; Vyatka, Vyatchanin"; Dvina, Dvinyanin"; Pinega, Pinezhenin"; Vaga, Vazhenin"; Ladoga, Ladozhanin"; Onega, Onezhanin"; Tfer", Tferitin".
Article 233: Ending in ets" and sk", place signifying name also more in native-land to in" incline: Olonets", Olonchanin"; Toropets", Toropchanin"; Smolensk", Smol'yanin"; Izborsk", Izborchanin".
Article 234: Many places name of native-land to do not have, esp. humble ones: Klin", Mozhajsk", Vereya and so on, and for that use above names in genitive singular with preposition iz": iz" Klina, iz" Mozhajska, iz" Verei.
Article 235: Others in native-land names are superfluous: Moskva, Moskvitin" and Moskvich"; Kostroma, Kostromitin" and Kostromich"; Kholmogory, Kholmogorets", Kholmogor"; Baga, Bazhenin" and Bagan".
Article 236: In feminine gender change the native-land-name ets" and in", to ka: Rostovka [Rostovets"], Mikhajlovka [Mikhajlovets"], Vyatchanka [Vyatchanin"], Ladozhanka [Ladozhanin"].
Article 237: Foreign native-land names end in ets" and in" but in them tend often according to the foreign ending, in their own language or of neighboring usage, and sometimes with Latin or Greek: Italiano, Italianets"; Ispanus, Ishtanets"; Frantzose, Frantsuz"; Neapolitanus, Neapolitanets"; Graecus, Grek"; Giudeo, Zhid"; Arabs, Arap"; Turka, Turok".
Article 238: Since many must be the native-land names, to them no rule not subject, about them any easy to judge, who uncountable multitude of lands, cities, villages, rivers, laces and other places appear. Thus, when for other rules grammatical, as far as Russian speech only is concerned, never to require exact/precise exceptions without trace, but for native-land-name is not possible to gather name fo all places and bring correction; for that must leave to general teacher of all - daily use.