Samoedy

(also Samoiad’ and Samoediny in Russian sources), the old name for the peoples speaking Samoyed languages—the Nentsi (Samoyeds or Yurak Samoyeds), Entsi (Yenisei Samoyeds), Nganasani (Tavgi Samoyeds), and Sel-kups (Ostyak Samoyeds).

Opinion is divided on the origin of the name “Samoe-dy.”According to the most widely held version, the Russian word samoedy is derived from the word combination same-edne, “land of the Saams [Lapps].” It is assumed that, in the course of opening up the northern European regions, the Russians transferred this name, which was originally used in reference to the Lapps (Russian saamy or lopari), to the Nentsi and related peoples. In Soviet historical and ethnological literature, samoidiitsy is now used instead of samoedy.