Kovalchuk

Kovalchuk (Ukrainian and Russian: Ковальчук), Kavalchuk (Belarusian: Кавальчук), Kowalczuk, Later Kovalčuk (Polish), Covalciuc (Romanian), also transliterated as 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 Kievan Rus.^{[citation needed]}

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

In East Slavic languages, the correct pronunciation is ko-vahl-CHOOK. Among Ukrainian Canadians, the pronunciation ko-WAL-chuk is more common.^{[citation needed]}