When I ask my relatives: "What does it mean – Khatsanovich?", I  was answered simply and similarly — by their shrugging. At first glance the stem of the surname, "khatsan", is not only of non–Russian, but even of non–Slavonic origin. I put the world Khatsanovich into special linguistic program in the world–wide web and it gave out such a phonosemantical analysis:

This word has such phonisemantical  properties  (from 25 possible): mean, bad, scary, quet, uneven, dim, dark, sad, short, awkward.

Thus these traits are first to influence the subconsiousness of  a reader or an interlocutor. Mark the great number of  properties: it greatly adds to the power of the emotional impression.

Well, it also contains a huge amount of hissing and muffled sounds that are quite clumsy and uncommon for the Russian language. But, as we already know, the surname if of Belorussian origin, and that is quite different language and in Belorussain the properties can be quite different!

Well, let us mentally move to the lands of modern Belorussia, the true origin of my surname. Here, as I alreagy mentioned, the dispute between Polish and Belorussian origin of the surname has no any firm arguments, and so has no sense. Look at first more closely at theirs neighbours, the Jews that  traded and made different things on the wide scope of modern Belorussia. Where did they came here from? Some investigators supposed the most of Polish Jews to be Khazar immigrants who were practiced Judaism. It is also well known that Tatars also lived in the grand duchy of Lithuania, and were called to military service by Vytautas the Great, afterwards consisting part of the Polish gentry.

Basing my investigations on the information, I began to browse quite a lot of special Internet sites, gathering all the scruples of knowledge about the beginnings of the surname "Khatsanovich" I could find. On the site www.familyrus.ru, by pure accident I found a title concering the origin of the Khazanov's surname: khaet, khazan, khazanov, khazanovich, khazanovski, khait, khaiit, khaitovich, khasid, khakhamovich, khusud, khusit - the surnames of old jevish origin, derived from  names of crafts. almost all of them are concerned with religios notions and ecclesiastic  titles. khazanm khazanov (cf. above), khazanovich, khazanovski concerned with word hazzan — man who offers up prayers during a public worship, a cantor.

I had learned German and therefore assumed that diring some derivation of surnames a substitution of the letter Z to S occured (is sounds "zat" in English и "tsat" in German), and so the surname KHATSANOVICH appeared from KHAZANOVICH.

Khazzan's history are widely and variously illustrated in litreratury, and below I quote an excerpt from my works upon this question (the most popular version, its details can be obtained through Jewish e–library www.eleven.co.il).

KHAZZ'AN (חַזָּן), a community's official; in our days it is a cantor of sinagogue. Word KHAZZAN often occured in the Talmudical sources  with reference to different kinds of officials. In the temple khazzan administered as an attendant (shammash) and an overseer, was in charge temple vessels and helped to divest to the priests (kohen). In the medieval age the importance of KHAZZAN grows — as his salary and tax privilegies. In the North Europe some ounstanding rabbis was KHAZZANs, e.g. rabbi Moellin ha-Levi (circa 1360–1427 AD), who firstly ordered strict rules of Ashkenazy KHAZZANUT. There were deliberatedly defined some requirements that are mandatory for every KHAZZANs: thorough knowledge of the liturgy, fair voice, befitting appearrance (with compulsory beard), impeccable style of life; KHAZZAN must be married man.

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Alexander Leonidovich Khatsanovich from Khabarovsk, Russia, wrote: "my grandfathers and grandmothers tell me two different versions: that we are from Poland by origin, and even that we are of eastern blood, and ouf surname might changed from Khasanovy, but it is only a suggestion.” These words entailed the investigation of "the eastern version" of my surname on me. At first glance it looked quite exotic, but after more thorough exploration bring out very live and important detailes. There are some persiuasive arguments. Russian "khatsan" and Arabian "hazan" — "glorious" are cognate words.

While reading an article about Georgian–Ossetian relations at 19th century "Punitive military expedition of Georgian detachments" at the site www.iratta.com, my eyes caught the following paragraph: "…During the operation at the Roksk pass a new national hero appeared; the hero whose proud name would be added to the book of Ossetian military history. The first lieutenant of the Tzar's army Makhamat Tomaev not only became widely known leader of  the liberation movement that were launched then in Ossetia, but also displayed great personal courage. When his detachment suffered great loss, he took very good position (makhamaty khatsan) and shot at the enemy very neatly…". "Makhamaty khatsan"! I've sent letter to the authors of  the site, and the answer signed by Alexander Bornhorz read: "The name Khatsan is of an Arabian origin and can be translated as "beautiful, handsome, glorious". In other words, these two words meant "glorious Makhmat"".

"The eastern verison" of origination of word "khatsan" has also one confirmation of a purely personal kind that I especially love J. In our department had been worked Archipov Sergey Petrovich, a higher deputy of chief of militia by KM. When the chief was away on vacation, Archipov would substitute him for the time and signed the official papers for and on behalf of him. And this deputy always wrote my name as "t. (tovarisch) Khasanovich A.J." Once, when I watched him doing so agan, I said him in an half–jocular way: "Sergey Petrovich, my surname is KhaTSanovich" and it is of  Jewish origin!" In responce to this remark I'd heard an astonished exclamation: "So you are a Jew!" "Yes", I agreed. "I'm a Jew, and you are a Greek, for your surname is of  Greek origin. It means "the leader of riders"". And all in the room did laugh.

Speaking more seriously, there is really a surname Khasanovich, and it evidently derives from an Arabian "khasan", some historians consider this point of view to be very plausible. For exampe, a famous Belorussian historian M.V. Dovnar–Zapolski (1867-1934) wrote about the Tatars who, being called to the military service by Vytautas the Great, lived afterwards in the grand duchy of Lithuania, and were endowed by allotments and consisted part of the Polish gentry. It's not the olny evidence, the same information can be found also in the article "Around the Minsk mosque" on the site "Ecclesiastic adminisration of the Tatarstan Moslems", www.e-islam.ru. In addition the article testifies that there are at lest one family of the Khaseneviches that brought their beliefs firm through ages to our days, because there was an imam Mustafa Khasenevich from 1945 to 1949 in the Minsk mosque. And also I obsereved that some of the Khasenevich had Slav first names but their patronymic names was of an eastern origin, whereas  some of them has full Slav names.

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I ordered so–called "family diploma" (unfortunately forgot from which site), and this diploma proved to be the most amasing. It reads: «The surname Khatsanovich is of the wide–spred type of Ukrainian surnames and derive from the personal nickname Khatsan. Cossacks were given the nicknames primarily for their distinguishing personal features: for their appearance, their behaviour, their character. The patrimonal features (such as native region or family) were less important for them. Therefore the nickname Khatsan most probably derive from the old verb "khotet"— to want, to desire. Therefore the first Khatsan could be a man who had a lot of different wishes, a man who had been constantly asking someone for something.» It is amasing for me to read "Ukrainian surnames", "the old Ukrainian verb "khotet"", when I know for sure that Russian word "khotet" in Ukraininan sounds as "khoteni". So it is again quite clear that the word is of Belorussian origin. Let's us look at some Belorussian words:

«khatsenne» - wish, desire;

«khatsja» - wanting;

«khatsets'» - to desire, to want, to crave, to wish, to will.

Well, it is in itself already much more than one might expect. The other versions vanish and fade momentarily. But such quickness can be achieved only after long days of the thorough studying and gathering of the information that I have spent. I did a great job and the contacts with my namesakes helped me not in the last place. I've made a groop "the Khatsanoviches of all countries, unite!" on the site www.odnoklassniki.ru whence all registered Khatsanoviches were invited, but Tatjana Khatsanovich from Archangelsk wrote me that he cannot to join the groop: «THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION, BUT I CANNOT ACCEPT IT, BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO BE NOT QUITE FAIR OF ME: MY TRUE FAMILY NAME IS KHATSENOVICH, BUT LONG TIME AGO, BY MISTAKE MY FATHER WAS GIVEN THE PASSPORT WITH A WRONG SPELLING OF THE SURNAME. SO NOW WE ARE REALLY KHATSENOVICHES, BUT IN OUR DOCUMENTS WRITE OUR SURNAME AS KHATSANOVICHES». !!! I never seek any Khatsenoviches before the message, looking for the surnames with stem "khatsan" only. After this letter I widened my search and discovered the Belorussian "khatsenne".

While seeking the Khatsenoviches, I stumbled upon some tragic facts of their biography. For example, a noble from the Minsk guberniya Matvey Khatsenovich with all his family was exiled to Siberia in 1865 for his participating in the Polish uprising of 1863–64 (www.kdkv.narod.ru/1864/Spis-A.htm). And all the relatives of such insurgents afterwards was not allowed to take up official posts, be teachers, etc. So it might be sufficient impetus for them to slightly change their surnames. Large family of Khatsenovich suffered repression as "kulaks" in 1930, and was exiled from the Kemerovo area to the Tomsk area ("from Siberia to Siberia", as one Soviet singer V.S. Vysotski sang). At first glance one could say that unfortunately there were not any connection between these fasts: all members of the latter family have not patronymic names Matveevich (son of Matvey), e.g. Vasily Khatsenovich who was born in 1870, has patronymic name Nicolaevich (son of Nicolai). But I had the luck and found this connection! Sergey Khatsenovich, being descended from Matvey and from his grandson, Nikolay Nikolaevich Khatsenovich, wrote me from Kemerovo area: «Of course there were a lot of mistakes. Then had also been exiled my grandmother's brother... He was born under the name Khatsenovich, but was given with passport  under name Khotsenovich, and so his wife and childen also became Khotsenoviches. But from my childhood I knew that my grandgrandfather was a noble from the Minsk guberniya. He died when he was eighty, and at this time I was fifteen».

I started my narration of this chapter with a story of changing of surname Khatsenovich to Khatsanovich, but as you can see from my investigation, the surname Khatsenovich had changed to Khotsenovich. It implied the immediate widening of my search!

Then I discovered peoples with some variations of my surname: Khotsanovich, Khotsyanovich, Khatsyanovich.

During these searches I also sent an inquiry to Saint–Petersburg State Archive for my ancestors' origin. I received the answer where the surname of my grandgrandfather was spelled Khotsanovich.

There are a great variety of such examples:

People, suffered from repressions:

Khotsyanovich Feodor Antonovich, born 1884
Birthplace: Vilno gubernia., Vilno uyezd, village Vytreski;
Belorussian;
member of the Bolshevik Party in 1929-1935;
tax inspector, Pskov station of October railway.;
Adress: Pskov, Leningrad area

Arrest: 02.09.1937
Sentenced 25.11.1937 by "triple tribunal" of NKVD  of Leningrad area. Article 58-10 of criminal code of RSFSR
Execution by shooting: 03.12.1937
Source: Leningrad passional, 1937-1938

Khotyanovich Calisa Afanasievna, born 1885

Birthplace: Irkutsk

cloakroom attendant, school 11,  Pskov

Adress: Pskov
Arrest: april 1938

Sentenced 1938 by NKVD  of the Leningrad area as the wife of the "people's enemy".
Sentence: exile from Pskov. Rehabilitated November 16, 1956.

Sourse: Remebrance book of the Pskov area

Both of the victims are from Pskov, but their surnames differ by one letter.

Khotyanovich (or Knotsyanovich) Elizaveta Osipovna, born 1895

Birthplace: Gorodische, Pleschenitski district, Minsk area

Pole; illiterate; peasant; individual plot

Adress: borough Pleschenitsi, Pleschenitski district, Minsk area
Arrest: 18.09.1937

Sentenced 11.12.1937 by comission of NKVD  and the public prosecutor of the USSR as member of POV.  
Execution by shooting: 14.01.1938 Buried in Vitebsk. Rehabilitated February 9, 1959 by the militry tribunal of BMD

Sourse: Belorussian "Memorial"

In Belorussian "National Newspaper", publishing in Russian and Belorussian, Belorussian surname Khatsyanovich in Russian is written as Khotyanovich, cf.:

Belorussian: «…starsynya of SVK"Agra–Lipnishki” of Chueiskogo raena Cheslau Syargeevich Khatsyanovich»

Russian: «…predseduatel of SPC «Agro–Lipnishki» Cheslav Khotyanovich…», etc.

Well, it's a new interesting fact! The surnames Khotyanovich and Khatsyanovich seem to be one surname written in two languages: Russain and Belorussian!

My granfather Khatsanovich Victor Nicolayevich was a peasant from the Budslav borough, but now in Budslav village there are the Khotyanoviches only. But now it's quite obvious that the Khotyanoviches are our distant relatives.

 It's also very interesting that the surname Khatsyanovich occurs mainly in older manuscripts and documents, whereas in modern Belorussian you can generaly met  the surname Khotyanovich.

Genealogical forum:

Church of Gabsk, 1894 (D. 28)
Born
29th of May. Girl Feodosia. Parents: peasants of  Novy Gaby village, Ioann ?annovich, Maria Ivanovna DROZD.

Vocspryemniks: peasants of Novy Gab village Georgy Osypovich Khatsyanovich and Maria Adamovna Kostevets

28th of Jan (born), 30th of Jan (christened). Boy Pallady. Parents: peasants Ioann Ioannov and Maria Ivanovna DROZD (N. Gab)
Vocspryemniks: peasants Julia Ioannovna DROZD и Georgy Osipovich Khatyanovich (both from N. Gab)

We'll open now the textbook of Belorussian to shatter all our doubts. Let's spell and translate the surname Khotyanovich (Khotenevich) in Belorussain according to the rules of the reading: "a" for "o" rule — all non–stressed «o» spelled and read as «a», therefore Kha…; "ts" for "t" rule — «t» before consonants «ya», «je», «jo», «ju», «i» , «'» became «ts» — Khats…; strict rule of Belorussian: in the first syllable before stress there always be spelled and read the letter "ya" — Khatsya…; the latter letter of the stem — «n» — Khatsyan…; the stressed syllable «ov» — Khatsyanov… and the ending –ich – KHATSYANOVICH.

Now it remains only to list all the variants of ths surname Khatsyanovich that are known not only to me, but also to the other existing people with whom I was in correspondence:

Khatsanovich

Khatsenovich

Khotsyanovich

Khotsanovich

Khotsenovich

Khatenovich

Khatyanovich

Khotenovich

Khotyanovich

Khatsanavichus

Chocianowicz (Polish)

Belorussian historian Vjacheslav Nosevich confirmes the derivation of the surname Khatsanovich from the word "khatsenne". He answered my letter, in which I questioned him about names of the villages and the meaning of word "khatsen", as follows: «The villages most probably recieved their names from nickname Khoten (Khotsen in Belorussian) — "a child long wished–for". Your surname might derive from the same nickname and then through the stress' changing (Khotsenevich) turned to Khatsanovich».