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Nicknames

People > Nicknames

Because Kythera was settled in such a way that a few dozen original families spawned the majority of present-day Kytherians, almost every branch of every family had a "nickname" to distinguish it from that of others with the same surname.

The nicknames were sometimes simply the genitive form of a christian name (e.g. "Dimitrelou") or derived from the profession of an ancestor (e.g. "Miliotis" = "Miller") or even describe a physical attribute (e.g. "Koutsaftis" or "Tarzan").

This is the section of the website where you can view the island's nicknames and read about which surnames they are associated with and hopefully where they came from as well.

You can submit to the section by clicking on add to nicknames at the top right.


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People > Nicknames

submitted by Ian Perry on 22.04.2023

Origin of “Kaponas” nickname

The nickname “Kaponas” is often found appended to the family name of the Megalokonomos family of Agia Pelagia. The followng is the story of how that came about was related to me by Polychronis Paloyannidis in 2022.

 

Antonios Megalokonomos (b 1822) married Metaxia Fardouli of Agia Pelagia. She was from a wealthy family. Part of her family's wealth came from breeding chickens and, in particular, roosters. Some of the roosters were sold for their meat which ...

People > Nicknames

submitted by Vicki Gesouras on 15.05.2019

"Delei" - Harris / Bambakaris / Vamvakaris - Vamvakarathika

"Delei" - Harris / Bambakaris / Vamvakaris - Vamvakarathika

People > Nicknames

submitted by Vassilios Mavrogiorgis on 04.12.2012

nicknames

mpotolis-my grandfather evagelos mavrogiorgis had this nickname,i dont know the reason but all the family in caravas they call us mpotolis-mpotolina-and mpotolakia,if u can find something please inform me to let me know,thanks in advance.

People > Nicknames

submitted by Virginia ( Eugenia ) Tzimas Nee Sourrys on 19.10.2011

Kanellis

Kanellis is my grandfather's Nickname
He was from the island Elafonisos, married and Olga
Georgeopoulos (a widow ) from Karavas
He was well known for his bouzouki playing and lived in Karavas till his death

People > Nicknames

submitted by Jim Cassimatis on 26.03.2011

XEROS - Cassimatis (ΚΑΣΙΜΑΤΗΣ) Family



The nickname Xeros refers to a part of the Kasimatis family that lived in Skoulianika. In the past, that area was named Katouni, due to an area nearby called Omonimis. The church of Santa Irene appears to be from the 14th century, but it was certainly older and has been rebuilt many times as it seems. The Xeros family was a part of the Kasimatis family that initially carried the nickname Skoulos. From this nickname we have the ...

People > Nicknames

submitted by Cleopatra Sclavos on 11.02.2008

Mavros - Sclavos

The paratsoukli 'Mavros' has been a part of my family for at least 4 generations. My paternal great-grandfather was known as 'mavronikolaki'.

I'm not sure whether the Mavros paratsoukli stuck after a stroke of bad luck ('o mavros' can mean poor thing) or whether it refers to the physical description of one of my ancestors.

The change in spelling of my family's surname from Sklavos to Sclavos was the brainchild of my grandfather Evangelos who arrived in Australia in ...

People > Nicknames

submitted by John Carras on 02.01.2008

Litathoros - Trifyllis, Trifillianika, (Trevethianika).

My mothers maiden name was Trifyllis. She came from a small area outside Trifillianika called Trevethianika.

Her family paritsookli was Litathoros.

People > Nicknames

submitted by Peter Samios on 06.12.2007

A Document from Manuel Samios

This is a document that I have posted on behalf of Manuel Samios

People > Nicknames

submitted by Fotina Georgas on 12.11.2007

nicknames

"O Ellenas" Panayiotis Dracakis family. Drymonas.

People > Nicknames

submitted by James Gavriles on 23.10.2007

Demetrios Ioanis Gavrilis- Logothetianica

I was talking to one of my relatives who was born and raised in Kythera and she was saying that my Grandfather's nickname was :Fotogannis" Not Boukiouros as I previously thought. I am not sure now which one is correct?? Maybe someone else on the website might also know what it was??

People > Nicknames

submitted by Peter Makarthis on 17.06.2007

Smithopoulos - Σμιδοπουλος

All Greeks whose names have been altered from their orginal Greek name, for what ever reason may fairly claim to have this nickname.

'Σκουλανδρις'
aka Peter McCarthy
Ινβερελλ Αυστραλια

People > Nicknames

submitted by James Victor Prineas on 23.01.2007

Dimitrelos / Prineas

One of my uncles told me that one of the reasons we have the "trelos" nickname was because there is a "disease" in the family which turns siblings against each other once the parents have died (sounds like a world-wide trait if you ask me...). And confirmations?

People > Nicknames

submitted by Vikki Vrettos Fraioli on 06.02.2007

Yiortomeli - Chlentzos

The "paratsukli" of the descendants of Efrocene Venardos (1830-1935) and Haralambos Chlentzos from Christoforianika was "Yiortomelis"
We don't know the origin of this nickname and would appreciate information that others could provide.
Efrocene and Haralambos had four children; Kyrani, Panayiotis, Diamandis, and Maria.

See also:
Efrocene ...

People > Nicknames

submitted by Georgia Pine on 27.09.2006

Bey - Aronis

My maternal grandfather came from Aroniadika and was called Emmanuel Bey because his father had the carriage of a Turkish ruler whose title was "bey". His real parachoulki was Moustakas. He married Gariflayia Mastroyiannis. They all used the last name Aronis, a derivative of the town of Aroniadika.

People > Nicknames

submitted by Kathy Plumidis on 17.09.2006

Nickname Valentis

Valentis - Kalokerinos, Yianni and Kyriaki
(Parents of Petros, Maria, Dimitris, Valerios and Kaity (Katerina))

People > Nicknames

submitted by Jim Comino on 06.04.2007

Palavros Comino

Mary Andrew Theodore Palavros Comino mother Malamatania, Father Minas Comino Perligianika Kythera
Marys children, Anna Coronios, Scone, Helen Coronios, Kensington, Victor Mavramatis, Perliggianika Kythera [deceased]

Andrew Comino Wee Waa, wife Georgina, Daughters Maria and ?

Theo Comino Merriwa, wife Hazel, daughters Martina ,Narelle, Ellanie, sons Michael, Leslie.

People > Nicknames

submitted by National Archives, Australia on 29.04.2006

‘Tramountanas’ - George North.

Generally credited as being the first Greek to migrate to South Australia in 1842, Georgios Tramountanas showed true pioneering spirit when he moved to the sparsely-populated Eyre Peninsula in the late 1850s.

According to documents held in the Adelaide office of the National Archives, in 1878, after more than 20 years spent farming near Elliston, George applied to become a naturalised settler in the Province of South Australia – but as George North, not Georgios Tramountanas. ...

People > Nicknames

submitted by Jim Poulaki Coroneos on 09.04.2006

Karavitika Paratsouklia. A Comprehensive list.

A comprehensive list of 105 names from the town of Karavas, Kythera - with paratsouklia (nicknames).


KARAVITIKA PARATSOKULIA excel.xls


This list has been collated over many years.


Photograph of Poulaki, with wife Aliki, 2005

Photograph ...

People > Nicknames

submitted by Leslie Comino on 04.02.2006

"Palavras" - Comino

The nickname of my father, and hence my family is "Palavras".

People > Nicknames

submitted by Michael George Smith on 26.01.2006

Tarzan

From, Catching the Dying Light of Kythera,
The Monthly Chronicle, Sydney, Vol 2, No 3, May/June, 1996.
pp, 22-23


MICHAEL GEORGE SMITH talks to photographer JAMES PRINEAS about his 1996 exhibition of photographs at the Bondi Pavilion Gallery and the book of that exhibition, A Village On Kythera, (PigPenPress).

"Among the many wonderful photographs to be found in Prineas’ book is one of great old character named George ...