The House of Sheremetev (russian: Шереме́тевы) was one of the wealthiest and most influential noble families in Russia descending from
Feodor Koshka who was of
Old Prussian origin.
History
The family held many high commanding ranks in the Russian military, governorships and eventually the rank of
Count of the
Russian Empire.
Notable members
*
Yelena Sheremeteva, third wife of
Tsarevich Ivan Ivanovich (1554–1581), son of
Ivan the Terrible
Ivan IV Vasilyevich (russian: Ива́н Васи́льевич; 25 August 1530 – ), commonly known in English as Ivan the Terrible, was the grand prince of Moscow from 1533 to 1547 and the first Tsar of all Russia from 1547 to 1584.
Ivan ...
.
*
Fedor Sheremetev (1570–1650) cousin of
Tsar Michael I and head of government in 1613–18 and 1642–46
*
Vasily Borisovich Sheremetev (1622–1682) fought in Ukraine
*
Count Boris Sheremetev (1652–1719) military leader and diplomat during the Great Northern War
*
Count Pyotr Borisovich Sheremetev (1713—1788) son of Boris; courtier and noted patron of Russian theater
*
Princess Natalia Borisovna Dolgorukova, daughter of Boris and wife of Prince Ivan Dolgorukov
*
Count Nikolai Petrovich Sheremetev (1751–1809) son of Pyotr; noted patron of Russian theater
*
Praskovia Kovalyova-Zhemchugova, a
serf woman belonging to the Sheremetev family, who became an actress in the Sheremetev Serf Theatre and later married Nikolai Sheremetev
*
Count Aleksandr Dmitriyevich Sheremetev (1859–1931) grandson of Nikolai and son of Dmitri; conductor, composer and entrepreneur
* Count Pierre
Sheremetev, noted patron of the
Conservatoire Rachmaninoff in Paris
*
Romuald Szeremietiew
Romuald Szeremietiew (born 25 October 1945 in Olmonty) is a Polish politician, columnist, habilitated doctor of military sciences and associated professor at the Academy of National Defense and the War Studies Academy. He was a founding membe ...
(born 1945), Polish politician and independence activist in the
Confederation of Independent Poland.
The village of
Sheremetevo, which in turn gave name to the
Sheremetyevo International Airport, is named after the family.
Etymology
Russian surnames are gender sensitive, the masculine form of the name being ''Sheremetev'' (''Шереметев'') and the feminine being rendered as ''Sheremeteva'' (''Шереметева'').
There are three theories about the origin of the surname, all of them indicate a
Tatar and eastern origin for the family. One theory proposes that the name originated with the
Turkic
Turkic may refer to:
* anything related to the country of Turkey
* Turkic languages, a language family of at least thirty-five documented languages
** Turkic alphabets (disambiguation)
** Turkish language, the most widely spoken Turkic language
* ...
Chuvash language word ''seremet'' (''шеремет''), meaning "poor man". Another theory translates the nickname ''Seremet'' as "having light steps", "hot" (about a horse), while the third theory suggests that the name originates with the
Tatar/Turkic-Persian ''shir Akhmat,'' which literally translates to "Tiger Ahmet" and can be read as both "brave Ahmet" and "Pious Ahmet."
References
{{Authority control
Russian noble families