In fact it was chance that had Kolmogorov born in Tambov since the family had no connections with that place. Kolmogorov's mother had been on a journey from the Crimea back to her home in Tunoshna near Yaroslavl and it was in the home of his maternal grandfather in Tunoshna that Kolmogorov spent his youth. Kolmogorov's name came from his grandfather, Yakov Stepanovich Kolmogorov, and not from his own father. Yakov Stepanovich was from the nobility, a difficult status to have in Russia at this time, and there is certainly stories told that an illegal printing press was operated from his house.
Kolmogorov pangalan ng nagmula sa kanyang lolo, Yakov Stepanovich Kolmogorov, at hindi mula sa kanyang sariling ama. Yakov Stepanovich ay mula sa dakilang tao, ang isang mahirap na kalagayan upang magkaroon sa Russia sa oras na ito, at doon ay tiyak na sinasabi na ang istorya ng isang iligal na limbagan ay pinamamahalaan mula sa kanyang bahay.