Kovalchuk

Kovalchuk (Russian, Ukrainian: Ковальчу́к), Kavalchuk (Belarusian: Кавальчу́к), Kowalczuk (Polish), also transliterated as a German adaptation Kowalchuk (in the North American diaspora), is a common East Slavic surname (one of the most popular in Ukraine).[1] The Kovalchuk name extends back to before 1500 AD in the Kievan Rus.

Koval (Коваль) literally translates as forge or blacksmith. The suffix -chuk denoted either a son of, or an apprentice to a blacksmith. It is somewhat similar in commonality to English surname Smith. It is also cognate with very popular Polish surnames Kowalczyk and Kowalski.

In East Slavic Languages, the correct pronunciation would be ko-vahl-CHOOK, but for those living in the West, for example Ukrainian Canadians, the pronunciation ko-WAL-chuk is more common.

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