Korolyov is a Russian surname derived from the word король (korol), meaning "king." It functions as a patronymic or occupational surname, originally referring to someone who served a king or was likened to a royal figure. The masculine form is Korolyov, while the feminine variant is Korolyova.
Geographic Significance
According to Wiktionary, Korolyov is also the name of a city in Moscow Oblast, Russia, which was renamed in 1996 after the Soviet rocket engineer Sergei Korolev (spelling variation of the same surname). The city was previously known as Kaliningrad (not to be confused with the larger Kaliningrad exclave) and was a center for the Soviet space program.
Related Surnames
Cognates in other Slavic languages include Polish Król, Czech Král (and feminine Králová), Slovak Krall, Slovene Kralj, and Hungarian Király. All share the common meaning of "king" from Proto-Slavic korlь.
- Meaning: "king"
- Origin: Russian
- Type: Surname, occupational or decorative
- Usage regions: Russia, Eastern Europe
Sources: Wiktionary — Korolyov