Pogrebinsky

A Slavic surname originating in the Eastern European region. The earliest recording of "Pogrebinsky" originates in Ukraine. There is a village with a similar name in Ukraine, and there are also towns that share a similar same.

The last name Pogrebinsky can also be spelled: Pogrebinski, Pogrebinskii, and Pogrebinskiy. The name could be a derivative of the Russian term pogreb which means cellar. Also, the term grave could be derived from the name, as the root grob means grave or casket. Attention should also be paid to the letters "po" which means in Russian "by", or also "pod" which means "beneath." The name could mean "beneath cellar" or "beneath earth" or "by the grave." One cannot escape to think of the relation between "pogrom" and "pogrebinsky." Pogrom comes from the Russian term "grom" which means to "thunder" and to "wreak havoc." A simpler translation of the name could be "of the/from the underground."

Surnames in early Slav times were assigned, given, or taken freely based on the social position, place, and trade. It possible that the earliest Pogrebinskys were landowners, graveyard workers, or the family specialized in the business of burial for profit.

See also