The study concerns the methods and means of identification of the Ukrainian privileged class in the sources of the 15th-18th centuries. It was revealed that the anthroponymic system of the princes and nobility was based on the model of toponymic surnames in -s'kyi/-c'kyi but patronymics also played an important role. The nomination of the Ukrainian nobility in the 15th century was slightly different, it was based on the patronymic surname model, but with a large share of toponym,ic surnames.