Sheremetev


The Sheremetev family was one of the wealthiest and most influential noble families in Russia.
The family held many high commanding ranks in the Russian military, governorships and eventually the rank of Count of the Russian Empire. Notable members of the family include:
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 and the feminine being rendered as Sheremeteva. Two theories as to the origin of the surname obtain, both of which indicate a Tatar and eastern origin for the family. One theory proposes that the name originated with the Turkic Chuvash language word sheremet, meaning "poor man," while the other 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."