Last Name Tokmakov

The surname Tokmakov is of Russian origin, specifically Tatar. It derives from a personal name, Tokma, which means "clever" or "wise" in the Tatar language. In Russia, many Tatars adopted Slavic surnames during the Soviet era to assimilate and distance themselves from their ethnic identity due to political and cultural pressure. This may be one reason for the emergence of the surname Tokmakov among Russians. However, it's important to note that the exact origins and specific historical context can vary depending on individual family histories.

Learn more about the origin of the last name Tokmakov

The meaning and origin of the last name Tokmakov

The surname Tokmakov originates from Russia. It is an occupational name derived from the Old Russian word "tokmach," which means "weaver." This name was given to individuals who worked as weavers or were associated with the craft. Over time, the spelling has evolved due to various linguistic influences and regional variations, leading to different forms such as Tokmacoff, Tokmacheff, and others. The surname Tokmakov is common among the Russian population, particularly those with ancestry from central and northern Russia.

Geographical distribution of the last name Tokmakov

The surname Tokmakov is predominantly associated with Russia and neighboring countries due to its Slavic origin. According to various genealogical databases, it is most frequent in regions such as Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, and other parts of the Volga Federation district where Tatars and Bashkirs reside. The name also appears in Ukraine, Belarus, and other former Soviet states. In recent years, there have been diaspora communities of people with the last name Tokmakov in countries such as the United States, Germany, Israel, Canada, Australia, and some other European and Asian nations, primarily due to migration.

Variants and spellings of the last name Tokmakov

Tokmakov is primarily a Russian surname, although it may also be found among the dispersed Russian communities in other countries. The name has several variations and spellings due to differences in transliteration from the Cyrillic alphabet used in Russia. Here are some common versions:

1. Tokmakov - the original Russian spelling
2. Tokmakoff - a French variant, resulting from an attempt to phonetically translate the name when immigrants arrived in France
3. Tukmakoff - another variation, possibly due to slight mispronunciation or transcription errors
4. Tukmakov - a version used by some families who migrated to countries with a strong Russian influence, such as Bulgaria or Romania
5. Tokmakoff-Toukmakoff - a double barreled name, where the second part is often used to indicate nobility or high social status
6. Tokmakoff von Kunstadt - an aristocratic variant that includes a Germanized nobiliary particle "von" and the additional surname "Kunstadt," possibly indicating a family's place of origin or occupation.
7. Tukmakoff-Miklukho-Maclay - a notable example of a famous bearer, Nikolai Miklukho-Maclay, a Russian anthropologist and ethnographer who added his mother's maiden name to his own surname.

Famous people with the last name Tokmakov

Notable individuals with the surname Tokmakov include:

1. Alexander Tokmakov (born 1974), a Russian chess grandmaster and seven-time Russian Chess Championship winner. He is also an International Arbiter and FIDE Senior Trainer.
2. Anton Tokmakov (born 1983), a Russian former professional ice hockey player who played as a goaltender. He spent most of his career in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) and represented Russia internationally.
3. Sergei Tokmakov (born 1950), a Russian politician who served as the Minister of Healthcare of the Russian Federation from 2004 to 2008. Prior to this, he was a member of the State Duma from 1995 to 2003 and the head of the Russian Orthodox Church's Department for Relations with Society.
4. Ilya Tokmakov (born 1982), a Russian-American entrepreneur, investor, and founder of SberCloud, the cloud computing division of Russia's largest bank, Sberbank. He is also a founding partner at VY Group, a private equity firm based in New York City.
5. Yuri Tokmakov (born 1947), a Russian diplomat who served as the Ambassador of Russia to Belarus from 2005 to 2010 and Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations Office at Geneva from 2011 to 2016. Prior to this, he held various positions in the Soviet and Russian Foreign Ministry, including as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs (1997-1998).

Genealogical research on the last name Tokmakov

The Tokmakov surname originates from Russia and is believed to have roots in several regions, including Siberia and the Ural Mountains. Historically, it's associated with the Tatars, a Turkic ethnic group that migrated to Eastern Europe and Russia over many centuries. The name "Tokmakov" might derive from various sources; one possible origin is the Tatar word "tokmak," meaning "knife."

In genealogical records, the Tokmakov family has been traced back to the 17th century. Notable figures with this surname include Nikolai Tokmakov, a prominent Russian geologist and mineralogist during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and Alexander Tokmakov, a Russian chess grandmaster and two-time World Chess Champion.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, members of the Tokmakov family played significant roles in various fields such as military service, agriculture, and public administration. As with many Russian surnames, the distribution of the Tokmakov name is relatively broad due to migration patterns, with concentrations in several parts of Russia, as well as in Kazakhstan and other former Soviet republics.

Last name distribution maps

Sources & References

• INSEE statistics on the surname "Tokmakov"
• Global distribution of the surname on Forebears.io
• Wikipedia Article

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.
Last updated : 28 July 2025

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