Samoiad

old Russian name for the Northern Samoyed peoples. Its earliest attested use is in the Laurentian Chronicle under the year 1096. In Western Europe the Samoiad’ were known from the 13th century as the Samogitians. The name Samoiad’ was used in Russian until the 18th century, when it was supplanted by the name Samoedy and, in Northern Russian dialects, by the name Samodi (singular, Samodin or Samoedin).