I am Ukrainian and was recently told that my surname is quite possibly "Ukrainianized Polish". My surname in English transliteration is Lushchenko (Лущенко) and was informed that it may be derived from Polish surname, £uszcz with -enko added later. Problem - £ is pronounced differently in Polish than the L sound of my name, so I question this theory. Does anyone on here have any thoughts or theories relevant to this? Anything helpful is appreciated.
£USZCZENKO - root-word łuska (hull, husk, shell, pod) has created such derivatives as łuszczak (hazelnut that drops out of its protective pod) and then łuszczyć (to husk).
Possibly toponymic nick from such places as £uszcze, £uszczów, £uszczacz (Huskville, Hullton). There are likely similar localities in Ukraine and possibly in Belarus as well.
The hard pronunciation of £ (as a Ukrainian Л) is still heard in parts of eastern Poland.
Only if there are no localities in Ukraine incorporating that root or no such verb in Urkainian as лущити, could one argue that this name is of Polish origin. Besides, the -enko is a typical Ukrainian surname ending.
Incidentally, there are currently no £uszczenkos in Poland but mroe than 2,000 £uszczyńskis and around 1,100 £uzszcaks.
