What is the origin of the last name Arsenijevic?

The surname Arsenijević is of Serbian origin, specifically from South Slavic countries. It derives from a given name Arsenije, a variation of the Greek name Arsenios, which means "virile" or "manly." In Slavic countries, surnames often evolved from given names over the centuries. The "-ić" ending is a common Serbian patronymic, indicating that it belongs to the son of someone named Arsenije.

Learn more about the origin of the last name Arsenijevic

The meaning and origin of the last name Arsenijevic

The surname Arsenijević is a patronymic Slavic name, derived from the given name Arsenije, which has its roots in Ancient Greek. In Greek, Arsenios comes from the word arsenikos, meaning "masculine" or "virile." However, in Christianity, it is associated with St. Arsenius, a monk and spiritual father of the fourth century. The name was popularized in the Byzantine Empire and later spread to Eastern Orthodox regions such as Serbia. In the Serbian language, the surname Arsenijević signifies "son of Arsenije." Over time, variations of this name have emerged due to phonetic changes, regional dialects, and immigration patterns, with examples including Arsenjević, Arsenjev, and Arseneau in different countries.

Geographical distribution of the last name Arsenijevic

The surname Arsenijevic is predominantly found in South Slavic regions, particularly within Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. This last name originates from the male given name Arsenije, a variant of the Greek name Arsenios, meaning "masculine" or "virile." The distribution of this surname is reflective of the historical migration patterns and cultural ties between these regions. In Serbia, it is most concentrated in areas such as eastern Serbia (Kosovo and Metohija, Raška, Zaječar, and Niš) and central Serbia (Belgrade, Šumadija, and Moravica), while in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the highest concentrations are found in the Republika Srpska entity. The diaspora of people with the surname Arsenijevic can be found in various parts of Europe, North America, and Australia due to migration during the 20th century.

Variants and spellings of the last name Arsenijevic

The surname Arsenijevic has several variations and spellings due to differences in transliteration and regional pronunciation. Here are some common versions:

1. Arsenijević - the Serbian spelling, where "ć" is pronounced as a hard "ts" sound (as in "cats")
2. Arsenijevic - this version follows the phonetic transcription from the Serbian original and uses a soft "c", but it may lead to mispronunciation or misspellings
3. Arsenjevich, Arsenjewitch, Arsenjewitz, Arsenjievits - these are historical variants based on different transliteration rules used in the past
4. Arseniévitch, Arsenievič - variations in Russian and other Slavic languages with diacritics to indicate specific pronunciation of letters (e.g., "ě" representing a long "e")
5. Arsenjevsky, Arsenjewski - Polish and Czech transliterations, respectively, using the appropriate alphabets for each language.

Famous people with the last name Arsenijevic

Prominent individuals with the surname Arsenijevic include:

1. Nikola Arsenijević (born 1989), a Serbian professional basketball player who currently plays for Mega Basket in the ABA League.
2. Ana Arsenijević (born 1976), a Serbian actress best known for her roles in the films "Behind Enemy Lines" and "Eagle vs Shark."
3. Aleksandar Arsenijević (born 1986), a Serbian professional volleyball player who competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
4. Petar Arsenijević (1777–1852), a Serbian military and political leader who played an important role during the First Serbian Uprising against the Ottoman Empire.
5. Aleksandar Arsenijevic (born 1960), a Canadian mathematician known for his work in operator theory, functional analysis, and operator algebras.

These individuals have made significant contributions to their respective fields, spanning sports, acting, politics, and academia.

Genealogical research on the last name Arsenijevic

The surname Arsenijević originates from Serbia and is derived from the Christian first name Arsenije, which itself comes from the Greek name Arsenios, meaning "masculine" or "virile." The name likely spread among Orthodox Christians in the Balkans during the Middle Ages.

Arsenijević is most commonly found in regions that were part of the former Yugoslavia, such as Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Notable individuals with this surname include the Serbian historian Stevan Arsenijević (1878-1963), known for his work on medieval Serbian history, and Miodrag Arsenijević, a professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper for several clubs in Yugoslavia and abroad.

The name may also have variations such as Arsenijevic, Arsenjevic, Arsenjievic, and Arsenjevič, due to differences in transliteration and the use of different alphabets (Cyrillic and Latin). A detailed genealogical research on this surname would require extensive archival work and analysis of historical records from the Balkans.

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NomOrigine Team
About the author :

NomOrigine Team

Passionate about genealogy, name history, and linguistics, we have been analyzing the origins of names for over 3 years. Our content is based on verified historical, etymological, and statistical data.

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