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Abstract: The article deals with the ability of a derivative word to fix and maintain the knowledge. The formation of new words is always associated with the needs to secure the new object of thought in linguistic form. The structure of derivative contains a reference to the characteristic according to which the subject was realized and allocated among others. Words live in their original meaning as long as their meanings are important for speakers; but when human thought goes further and transfers old meanings to the new items and features, words change. Modern Russian names also used to be derived words with live word-formative links. Naming was carried out for various reasons: with a reference to personal traits, to place of residence, to parents' names and nicknames, as well as with a reference to professional activities. Within the framework of modern Russian anthroponomical system there is a great number of surnames with origins related to the vocabulary of ancient crafts and trades of peasantry. Using written records of various times, the author analyzes a number of Russian surnames within the historic and word-formation aspects. The surnames under consideration are related to the lexical and thematic group of words from the sphere of tanning industry. In the structure of each «professional» surname there are traces of directly motivating units and more distant links of the word-formation chain.