Kyrgyzstan: Japarov Signs Amendments on Kyrgyz-Style Surnames

President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov has signed into law amendments that officially allow citizens to drop Slavic-style surname endings, Orda.kz reports, citing 24.kg.

The changes affect the country’s Family Code and the Law on Civil Status Acts, and were approved by parliament in early June. With the president’s signature, they are now in effect.

Under the new rules, parents can opt out of the Russian-influenced "-ov" and "-ev" suffixes when registering their child’s surname. Instead, they can choose more traditional Kyrgyz formats: “uulu” (son of) for boys, “kyzy” (daughter of) for girls — if the surname is derived from the father’s name.

If the surname is based on a grandfather or earlier ancestor, “tegin” may be used. Alternatively, surnames may be listed simply as the ancestor’s name, without any ending:

A surname can be assigned based on the name of ancestors up to the seventh generation, if there are documents confirming a direct family connection or if they are available in the archives of the authorized state body,  reports 24.kg.

If a child is given a surname from the father’s name, a patronymic is not added. But if it’s from a grandfather, the patronymic will still include “uulu” or “kyzy,” depending on gender.

The initiative marks an official return to pre-Soviet naming traditions, an idea discussed earlier this year at the highest levels of government. One prominent supporter was Jogorku Kenesh Speaker Nurlanbek Turgunbek uulu, who made headlines after publicly dropping his Slavicized surname, Shakiyev.

Original Author: Alina Pak