Greek last names carry centuries of history, tradition, and cultural significance. Whether derived from occupations, patronymics, or geographic origins, each surname tells a story. If you’ve ever wondered about the meaning behind common Greek surnames, you’re in the right place!
In this post, we’ll explore over 145 Greek last names, categorized for easy understanding. From names rooted in ancient mythology to those reflecting family trades, let’s dive into the fascinating world of Greek surnames.
Popular & Common Greek Last Names or Surnames & Their Meanings
Patronymic Surnames (Derived from Father’s Name)
Many Greek surnames originate from a father’s first name, often ending in “-poulos” (meaning “son of”), “-ides” or “-adis” (indicating lineage), or “-akis” (a diminutive, common in Crete).
- Papadopoulos – “Son of a priest” (from papas – priest + poulos – son).
- Georgiou – “Son of Georgios (George).”
- Nikolaidis – “Son of Nikolaos (Nicholas).”
- Ioannou – “Son of Ioannis (John).”
- Dimitriou – “Son of Dimitrios (Demetrius).”
- Christodoulou – “Son of Christodoulos (servant of Christ).”
- Petridis – “Son of Petros (Peter).”
- Antoniou – “Son of Antonios (Anthony).”
- Vasileiou – “Son of Vasileios (Basil).”
- Stefanopoulos – “Son of Stefanos (Stephen).”
Occupational Surnames
These surnames reflect the family’s traditional trade or profession.
- Papadakis – “Little priest” or “son of a priest.”
- Psaras – “Fisherman.”
- Raptis – “Tailor” or “seamster.”
- Samaras – “Saddle maker.”
- Karagiannis – “Black John” (possibly referring to a charcoal worker).
- Mylonas – “Miller.”
- Koufos – “Deaf” (possibly an occupational nickname for a town crier).
- Vlachos – “Shepherd” or “Wallachian.”
- Chalkias – “Coppersmith.”
- Sideris – “Ironworker.”
Geographic & Regional Surnames
Many Greek surnames come from places; villages, mountains, or landmarks.
- Katsaros – From katsaros, meaning “curly-haired,” possibly regional.
- Maniatis – From Mani, a region in the Peloponnese.
- Kritikos – “From Crete.”
- Thessalos – “From Thessaly.”
- Macedon – “From Macedonia.”
- Laskaris – Possibly from Laskara, a place in Asia Minor.
- Korinthios – “From Corinth.”
- Rhoditis – “From Rhodes.”
- Lykoudis – Possibly from lykos (wolf), linked to a place.
- Andrianakis – “From Adrianople (now Edirne, Turkey).”
Descriptive or Nickname-Based Surnames
These surnames often describe a person’s appearance, personality, or traits.
- Makris – “Tall.”
- Kokkinos – “Red” (often for red-haired individuals).
- Xanthopoulos – “Blond son.”
- Mavros – “Black” or “dark-haired.”
- Galanis – “Pale” or “blue-eyed.”
- Vassilakis – “Little king” (diminutive of Vasileios).
- Karras – Possibly from kara (head), meaning “stubborn.”
- Stavros – “Cross,” possibly religious.
- Zervas – From Turkish zirva (“peak”), meaning “proud.”
- Lambros – “Shining” or “bright.”
Mythological & Ancient Greek-Inspired Surnames
Some surnames have roots in ancient Greek history or mythology.
- Alexandrou – “Son of Alexandros (Alexander).”
- Aristeidou – “Son of Aristeides.”
- Platon – From the philosopher Plato.
- Sokos – Possibly from sokos (support), ancient term.
- Hector – From the Trojan hero Hector.
- Odysseas – From Odysseus, the legendary hero.
- Perseas – From Perseus, the mythic hero.
- Theseus – Named after the king of Athens.
- Leonidas – “Son of the lion,” from the Spartan king.
- Achilleas – From Achilles, the warrior of Troy.
Religious & Spiritual Surnames
Many Greek surnames reflect Christian influence.
- Theodorou – “Son of Theodoros (gift of God).”
- Christopoulos – “Son of Christ.”
- Panagiotou – “Son of Panagiotis (all-holy).”
- Evangelou – “Son of Evangelos (bringer of good news).”
- Anagnostou – “Son of the reader (church role).”
- Kyriakou – “Son of Kyriakos (of the Lord).”
- Seraphim – From the angelic order “Seraphim.”
- Methodios – From Saint Methodius.
- Gregoriou – “Son of Gregorios (Gregory).”
- Athanasopoulos – “Son of Athanasios (immortal).”
Nature-Inspired Surnames
These surnames come from elements of nature.
- Dendrinos – “Of the trees.”
- Petrakis – “Little stone.”
- Lagos – “Hare.”
- Kastanas – “Chestnut.”
- Vounos – “Mountain.”
- Potamitis – “Of the river.”
- Aetos – “Eagle.”
- Lithos – “Stone.”
- Galinos – “Calm” (like the sea).
- Anthopoulos – “Son of the flowers.”
Foreign-Influenced Surnames
Due to Greece’s history, some surnames have Turkish, Slavic, or Italian roots.
- Karaiskos – From Turkish kara (black) + Greek -iskos (diminutive).
- Deligiannis – Possibly from Turkish delikanlı (young man).
- Tzavaras – From Slavic tsar (king).
- Fotopoulos – “Son of light,” possibly influenced by Italian foto.
- Markou – From Latin Marcus.
- Sarafis – From Arabic sarraaf (money changer).
- Kontos – “Short,” from Italian conto.
- Vouyouklakis – Possibly Turkish-influenced.
- Chatzis – From Arabic hajj (pilgrim).
- Frangiadakis – “Son of the Frank (Western European).”
Military & Heroic Surnames
Some surnames reflect bravery or military heritage.
- Stratigos – “General.”
- Polemarchos – “War leader.”
- Andreou – “Son of Andreas (manly, brave).”
- Nikolopoulos – “Son of the victory of the people.”
- Tzannis – Possibly related to tzan (brave).
- Drakos – “Dragon” or “fierce warrior.”
- Pappas – Originally a priestly name, but also a title of respect.
- Kallergis – “Good warrior.”
- Leventis – “Brave” or “gallant.”
- Athanasiou – “Son of the immortal one.”
Rare & Unique Greek Surnames
Some surnames are less common but carry deep meaning.
- Zografos – “Painter” (iconographer).
- Gerontakos – “Little old man.”
- Moraitis – “From the Morea (Peloponnese).”
- Ktenas – “Comb” (possibly for a comb-maker).
- Skouras – Possibly “leatherworker.”
- Varvitsiotis – From varviti (foreigner).
- Kapsalis – “Capsule” or “button maker.”
- Doukas – “Duke” or “noble.”
- Fotiadis – “Son of light.”
- Grigoriadis – “Son of Gregory.”
Bonus: More Common Greek Surnames
- Kontopoulos – “Short son.”
- Kalogeropoulos – “Son of the monk.”
- Pappadakis – “Little priest.”
- Sotiriou – “Son of Sotirios (savior).”
- Economou – “Steward” or “housekeeper.”
- Angelopoulos – “Son of the angel.”
- Kiriakidis – “Son of Kyriakos.”
- Kontizas – Possibly “short.”
- Michalopoulos – “Son of Michalis (Michael).”
- Paraskevopoulos – “Son of Paraskevas (Friday, related to Good Friday).”
Surnames Derived from Personal Traits
Some Greek surnames highlight distinctive characteristics of an ancestor; whether physical, behavioral, or symbolic.
- Grigorakis – “Vigilant” or “watchful.”
- Kalogeros – “Good old man” or “monk.”
- Pikros – “Bitter” (possibly for a stern personality).
- Glykos – “Sweet” (kind or pleasant).
- Tzortzis – From Georgios, but may imply stubbornness.
- Kefalas – “Big-headed” (could mean intelligent or proud).
- Psomas – “Bread” (possibly a baker or generous person).
- Laskaris – “Kind-hearted” or “noble.”
- Kontos – “Short” (referring to height).
- Xenos – “Stranger” or “foreigner.”
Surnames with Diminutive & Affectionate Endings
Many Greek surnames use suffixes like “-akis,” “-oulis,” or “-elis”, adding a sense of familiarity or endearment.
- Michalakis – “Little Michael.”
- Thanopoulos – “Son of Thanos (short for Athanasios).”
- Maroulis – “Little Maria.”
- Kostakis – “Little Kostas (Constantine).”
- Yannoulis – “Little Yannis (John).”
- Dimitrakis – “Little Dimitris.”
- Panagiotakis – “Little Panagiotis.”
- Stavrakis – “Little Stavros.”
- Georgelis – “Little Georgios.”
- Antonakis – “Little Antonios.”
Surnames Linked to Historical Events & Movements
Some surnames emerged from significant historical periods, such as the Byzantine Empire, Ottoman rule, or the Greek War of Independence.
- Paleologos – From the Byzantine Palaiologos dynasty.
- Komnenos – Another Byzantine imperial family name.
- Kolokotronis – Famous revolutionary family (from kolokotron, a type of cannon).
- Botsaris – A heroic surname from the Souliote warriors.
- Karaiskakis – From Georgios Karaiskakis, a War of Independence hero.
- Mavromichalis – A prominent Maniot clan name.
- Tzavelas – Another Souliote warrior family.
- Diakos – From Athanasios Diakos, a martyr of the revolution.
- Kanaris – After Konstantinos Kanaris, a naval hero.
- Ypsilantis – A Phanariot Greek family involved in the revolution.
Surnames with Occupational & Craft Origins (Continued)
More names tied to traditional Greek trades.
- Kalamaras – “Ink maker” or “scribe.”
- Kydonakis – “Quince grower.”
- Kanellopoulos – “Cinnamon seller.”
- Kremmidas – “Onion seller.”
- Psomas – “Baker” (from psomi – bread).
- Rigas – Possibly from rigas (king) or a local leader.
- Sklavos – “Shoemaker.”
- Stamatopoulos – “Son of Stamatis” (related to stama – stop, possibly a gatekeeper).
- Trakas – “Wheelwright” or “cart maker.”
- Zacharopoulos – “Son of Zacharias (sugar merchant).”
Surnames from Greek Mythology & Ancient Literature
A few more names inspired by legends and ancient texts.
- Orpheus – From the mythical musician.
- Herodotus – From the ancient historian.
- Sophocles – The famous tragedian.
- Aristophanes – Ancient comic playwright.
- Homer – Though rare, some families carry this legendary name.
Why Do Greek Surnames Matter?
Greek last names aren’t just identifiers; they’re living connections to ancestry, regional roots, and family legacies. Whether your surname reflects your great-grandfather’s trade, your ancestors’ homeland, or a heroic past, it’s a piece of your story.
Did You Find Your Surname?
If your last name (or a family member’s) is on this list, you now know a little more about its history! If not, don’t worry; Greece has countless regional variations. Some names change slightly between islands or mainland villages.
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Final Thoughts
Greek surnames are a beautiful blend of history, language, and personal identity. Whether your last name is tied to an ancestor’s job, homeland, or even a legendary hero, each one holds a piece of Greece’s rich cultural tapestry.
Do you have a Greek last name? Share its meaning in the comments; we’d love to hear your family’s story!
Yia sas! (Cheers!)