140 Greek Last Names (& What They Say About Ancestry)

Greek last names are a fascinating way to understand someone’s ancestry. With super-specific translations that tell us about Greek occupations, regions, and lineage, these last names offer no shortage of insight into Greek heritage! In this article, wikiHow partnered with a naming expert to go over common Greek last names, cool Greek last names, and even some rare Ancient Greek last names!

Popular Greek Surnames

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Naming expert Dr. Hayley Elizabeth Wilson says Greek last names often reveal information about the lineage, occupation, region, and attributes of Greek ancestors. For example, many surnames translate to something like “son of [name]” or “from [location].” Here are some common surnames:

Papadopoulos: son of a priest
Nikolaidis: Son of Nikolaos
Vlachos: Linked to shepherding
Roussos: Red-haired or ruddy
Georgiou: Son of Georgios (George)

Section 1 of 8:

Most Common Greek Last Names

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Some of the most common Greek surnames include Georgiou and Pappas. Dr. Wilson explains that Greek last names have a rich history and often tell you where someone comes from, who their ancestors were, or even what they did for a living. So, many surnames are patronymic, occupational, geographical, or based on nicknames or physical traits.^{[1]
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Expert Interview} These are some of the most common last names in Greece:
- Papadopoulos: Son of a priest (papas means “priest”)^{[2]
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- Papadopoulou: Son of a priest (variation of Papadopolous)
- Papageorgiou: Son of Father Georgios^{[3]
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- Oikonomou: Steward or housekeeper
- Papadimitriou: Descendant of priest named Dimitris or Dimitros
- Georgiou: Son of Georgios (George)^{[4]
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- Papaioannou: Descendant of priest named John
- Pappas: Priest
- Vasileiou: Son of Vasilis or Vasilios
- Nikolaou: Son of Nikolaos or “victor of the people”
- Nikolaidis: Son of Nikolaos^{[5]
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- Dimitriou: Descendent of Dimitris^{[6]
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- Vlachos: Linked to shepherding or a regional identity^{[7]
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- Roussos: Red-haired or ruddy^{[8]
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Meet the wikiHow Expert

Dr. Hayley Elizabeth Wilson is a naming expert and consultant. She shares name meanings and naming tips with her over 20k followers on her Instagram, @little_name_library.

Section 2 of 8:

Cool Greek Last Names

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These cool last names come from myth, religion, and nature. Many are pulled from names of beasts and gods, making these Greek last names incredibly cool. Distinctive from the other categories, these last names are also less common. Here are some examples of unique Greek last names:
- Aetos: eagle
- Angelopoulos: son of the messenger/angel
- Athanasiou: derived from “Athanasios,” meaning immortal
- Demetriou: child of Demeter (Greek goddess of fertility)
- Diamandis: diamonds
- Drakos: dragon or ogre
- Florakis: flower, blossom, or virginity
- Gataki: kitten
- Lykaios: wolf
- Onasis: lover
- Othonos: wealth or fortune
- Pantazis: live forever
- Calimeris: derived from the greeting, “Kalimera,” or “good morning”
- Ambrosia: immortality
- Angelos: divine messenger
- Demos: the people
- Eliopoulos: born of the sun
- Hallas: exemption
- Hatzis: pilgrim to Jerusalem
- Leos: lion, the people
- Mattiou: gift of god
- Nephus: son of a god who will also become a god
- Pagonis: peacock
- Panagos: all holy
- Selinofoto: moonlight
- Sideris: iron one
- Thanos: immortal
- Vasilakis: royal
- Vouvali: antelope, buffalo
- Xiphias: swordfish
- Zika: may he live
- Drivas: tree
- Elias: lord of God
- Filo: the horse’s friend

Section 3 of 8:

Patronymic Greek Last Names

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Patronymic last names include Levidis and Stefanopoulos. These patronymic surnames simply translate to “son/descendant of…” Patronymics were used to differentiate people in ancient Greece, although last names weren’t common practice until the 1400s.^{[9]
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Research source} Here are some classic examples of patronymic Greek last names:
- Danielopoulos: son of Daniel
- Frangopoulos: descendant of Frank
- Iraklidis: son of Herakles (aka Hercules, or “pride of Hera”)
- Kalogeropoulos: son of the monk
- Adamos: son of Adam, linked to Adam from the bible
- Agathangelou: descendant of Agathangelos, the Christian historian
- Christodoulopoulos: a descendant of Christ’s servant
- Alexopoulos: son of Alexios
- Christoforou: son of Christophoros
- Levidis: son of Levi
- Pavlides: son of Pavlos
- Petrakis: descendant of little Petros
- Stefanopoulos: son of Stefan

Section 4 of 8:

Greek Last Names Based on Occupation

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Some Greek surnames tell of an ancestor’s job, like Raptis (“tailor”). These occupational last names describe different professions and social statuses. Last names based on occupation clues us into what types of jobs may have existed in Greece centuries ago! Here are some occupation-based Greek last names:
- Bakirtzis: coppersmith
- Diakos: deacon
- Dougenis: servant
- Doukas: duke or lord
- Economos: steward, or anyone who manages property
- Hasapis: butcher
- Kazan: people who make cauldrons
- Agathangelos: messenger of good news
- Athinganos: heathen
- Bouras: someone in the wool business (derived from Latin origin, meaning “a course, reddish-brown woolen cloth”)
- Galatas: milkman
- Hasapis: butcher, meat seller
- Karras: cart driver
- Laskaris: a kind of soldier
- Loukanis: sausages (butcher)
- Mylonas: miller
- Nikolas: victorious people, army
- Raptis: tailor
- Rellakis: embroiderer
- Remis: oarsman
- Samaras: saddler
- Teresi: hunting
- Zographos: painter
- Papadakis: Father or priest

Section 5 of 8:

Greek Last Names Based on Region

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Greek surnames may reveal where one lives, like Mykonios (“of Mykonos”). These regional surnames either describe a location or literally translate to “from [city/place].” Last names like these make it extra easy to trace someone’s lineage and figure out where their family originated. Here are examples of regional Greek last names:
- Artino: someone from Arta, the 13th-century capital of the Despotate of Epirus
- Chaconas: Americanized version of Tsakonas, meaning “an inhabitant of the eastern side of Peloponnese.”
- Castellanos: castle, fort
- Frangos: Frankish, French
- Katopodis: down, below
- Moralis: mulberry trees
- Roussopoulos: of Russian descent
- Konstantinopolites: from Constantinople
- Kritikos: from Crete
- Mykonios: from Mykonos
- Thessalonikios: from Thessaloniki
- Mitsotakis: diminutive from Crete

Section 6 of 8:

Descriptive Greek Last Names

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Certain Greek names describe traits like Makris (“tall”) or Kontos (“short”). As with the other last names, these descriptive surnames likely tell us something about an ancestor further back in the person’s lineage. Some are certainly kinder descriptors than others, and some might even make you laugh. Here are some examples of descriptive Greek last names:
- Galanis: someone with light blue eyes
- Hatzi: a person who has completed a pilgrimage
- Kouris: someone who lived in a forest
- Moustakas: a person with a mustache
- Agelastos: one that never laughs
- Andino: manly
- Ariti: approachable, friendly, or generous
- Boukouras: happy
- Catarino: pure
- Andrianakis: man
- Antonopoulos: highly praiseworthy
- Athans: immortal
- Bakas: he who has a big belly
- Caras: grace
- Chronis: long lived
- Cirillo: lordly, masterful
- Contos: strong, well-built
- Costas: constant, steady
- Katsaros: curly
- Lambros: shining, radiant
- Pallas: wisdom, maiden, young woman
- Xenos: stranger, newcomer
- Zenon: hospitable, gift of Zeus
- Zervas: left-handed
- Makris: tall
- Karagiannis: black-haired
- Spanos: beardless
- Kontos: short
- Chloros: green
- Argyros: silvery
- Baros: happy or lucky
- Hondros: fat
- Kallis: best
- Kappas: large
- Nanos: dwarf

Section 7 of 8:

Ancient Greek Last Names

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Ancient Greeks didn’t technically have last names. At least, not in the sense that we do today. Typically, ancient Greeks would receive a personal, or first, name as well as a patronymic (something that means “son of…”). Here are 10 “last names” from Ancient Greece:
- Andreadis: son of Andreas (manly, brave)
- Konstantinou: son of Konstantinos (steadfast, constant)
- Athanasiou: son of Athanasios (immortal, eternal)
- Economou: son of the steward
- Stavros: cross (Christian)
- Aristotle: best purpose
- Euripides: wide-ranging
- Hippocrates: horse power
- Plato: broad-shouldered
- Sophocles: wise and honored

Section 8 of 8:

Common Greek Surname Suffixes

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Greek last names often end in “-opoulos” or “-idis.” According to Dr. Wilson, many Greek last names share the same endings. For instance, -opoulos means “son of” and is very traditional, especially in southern Greece. In northern regions, -idis and -ides are common and mean “descendant of.” In Crete, -akis is common, and denotes a diminutive form (plus, Dr. Wilson says it can feel affectionate). In Cyprus, -ou is more common and means “of” or “belonging to.”^{[10]
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- Dr. Wilson adds that Greek surnames “feel almost like little time capsules as they hold onto family stories, places, and identities across generations…carrying on history.”^{[11]
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