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.
submitted by George Kanarakis on 01.01.2006
The origin of two surnames. Comprehensive biography of Miltiades Bidzanis/Bidzanakis, later Michael de Diar Originally, the name Bidzanis had been a nickname given to the family, after a forebear who spoke with a lisp. He, unable to say the word “vizaini” (suckle), had pronounced it “bidzaini”, and thus Bidzainis, later Bidzanis, had become the name by which the ...
submitted by Vaggeli Contoleon on 22.09.2005
This is the nickname for my mothers family, they are from perlegianika.
submitted by Alexandra Malanos on 04.11.2009
To distinguish between the many families with the surname "Cassimatis", nicknames were very common. Adzatos was the name given to my great-grandfather who lived in the village of Potamos. I have been told that it means "thick/large/strong thighs". In Potamos, there is a building on a corner which is the tallest building on your right-hand side as you leave the village heading for Agia Pelegia. This corner was known as the "Adzatos Corner" for many, many years. This is because it was owned by my ...
submitted by Robert Kass on 10.05.2005
Additional information, which may be of interest to Komninoi, is that all original branches of the family that migrated from the two original Komninos towns of Kythera, that is, Perlegianika & Dourianika, can be traced via their nicknames. I only know of a few. Some of them are: Andretsinis, Bahas, Byzinis, Douris, Koumessos, Midos, Palathros, Palavras, Panayotelis, Psilos, Roussos, Skordilis, Skouzes, Spetsotes, Yalakatos, Yalanis, Yanoufis, and Ynafeas... In approx the 1870's the Spetsostes ...
submitted by Matty Lech (nee, Coroneos) on 29.04.2005
My grandmothermother was a Tzortzopoulos from Karavas. My mother was Melba Cominos (Melpomeni Kosmas Kominos). Melba's parents were Anna (Kirranni) Tzortzopoulos Douris from Douranika, and Charles Kosma Komino. Melba married Chris Coroneos (Christoforos Dimitriou Coroneos) Melasofaos in Goulburn, NSW, on the 3rd July, 1924. A photograph of the wedding party can be viewed at Photography Diaspora, subsection, Weddings and Proxenia. ...
submitted by Petro Cassimaty on 21.10.2007
My father Nicholas Cassimaty who came from Kato Livathi migrated to Australia in 1922. He had a brother George who lived in New York, Spiro, Emmanuel and Panayioti (who lived in Australia), sisters, Maria Callegeros and Chrisoula Paspalas (who lived in Kythera) and Stavroula Samios who lived in Australia. The family parachoukli is "Tzamourthis". I'm unsure of the derivation of this nickname can anyone enlighten me? Also my Uncle George Cassimatis left for New York before ...
submitted by George Poulos on 31.03.2005
As remembered by Con George Poulos Hlihlis, in an imaginary journey through Karavas. Recited by then 84 year old Con from memory, at the year 2000 Karavitiko. Καραβήτικες Εντυπώσεις Ξένοι μιά μέρα σαν βρεθείς στου Καραβά τα μέρη θερμά θα σας καλοδεκτούν νέοι, παιδιά και γέροι. Κι όλοι θα σε καλέσουν ...
submitted by George Sophios on 06.03.2005
The paternal parachoukli of Jim and Con Psaltis, is "Laveri". "Laveri" means dark. As with most Protopsaltis'- the family derives from Mitata.
submitted by Stephen Samios on 03.03.2005
Jim Samios' (NSW politician) parents were Milton and Constantina. A Samios married to a Samios. On his mothers side, the family parachoukli was "Koupeli" - because his maternal grandfather was a consumate dancer.
submitted by Stephen Samios on 02.03.2005
Jim Samios' (NSW politician) parents were Milton and Constantina. A Samios married to a Samios. On his fathers side, his grandfather was a trader, operating in Smyrna. His parachoukli derives from that addition to the Turkish headpieces - called a "foundas" in Greek.
submitted by George Poulos on 25.02.2005
Nick Feros from Dorrigo, brought his nephew, Nick Frilingos from Kythera to Australia, under the parachoukli "Sandamayis". Nick adopted a variation of his parachoukli - Sandaman, as his "Australian" surname. This story was conveyed to me by Nicks widow, Violet Sandaman. This is reminiscient of the manner in which the Miller family adopted their parachoukli "Miliotis" as their surname.
submitted by George Poulos on 19.02.2005
Parachoukli of Haralambos Souris, "tou Theothosiou", who was was son of George and mother Katarina (to yenos Koroneiou). They lived in Muvroyeorganika, Karavas, in the lower reaches of some of the "iripia spitia".
submitted by Peter Vanges on 18.01.2005
The name of the original settler of Christoforianika was Christoforos who escaped the destruction of Paliohora. Later families by the name of Hlentzos and Coolendianos settled here. Descendants of all the above families can be found in America and Australia.
Legend tells us that the original settler of Broggi near Karavas was a fisherman by the name of Barnard. This name was later changed to its Greek equivalent, Venardos, and families with this name spread to other nearby villages.
submitted by George Poulos on 22.12.2004
Another of the Tzortzopoulos families who emigrated to the USA had the "parachoukli" "Kourvoulis". My father Con George (Tzortzo)Poulos informs me that their were two brothers, Panayoti and Dimitri (James). Panayoti remained on Kythera, and James emigrated to the USA. He took on the name James Theodore George(opoulos). Harris George, youngest of 4 children born to James Theodore George - takes up the story: "My grandfather, Theodore Peter George, had ...
submitted by George Poulos on 15.04.2006
At least two Tzortzopoulos families from went to the USA; settling in Baltimore. The parachoukli of one family was "Georgakas". I believe it was this Tzortzopoulos who provided for funds for the water pipes to be laid in Karavas, who went by the parachoukli "Georgakas". Touy Houzouris (nee) George informs me that: "Papou George went to Greece in 1954 with my cousin Tom George and made preliminary arrangements for the water project. The next ...
submitted by George Poulos on 30.11.2004
Another Tzortopoulos from Karavas lived on the left hand side of the road as you enter Karavas from Ayia Pelagia - near the old Koroneos olive oil factory. He was expert at a fishing technique called "trutta". His "parachouklï" was "Tsiboukas". "Yerasse sto Karava".
My fathers older brother Minas married Frosso Tzortzopoulos. Both Minas and Frosso were from Karavas. Frosso's family parachoukli was "Logothetis".
submitted by George Poulos on 22.11.2004
George Calligeros, now deceased, but formerly of Dubbo, in NSW; and his brothers and sisters; were born near Fatsathika, in a village known as Kourmoulianika. Their father was a well known priest; Pappa Manoli Calligeros (Kourmoulis) and their brother was also a priest, Pappa Hristos in that area. The family parachoukli is Kourmoulis.
submitted by George Poulos on 03.12.2004
George C Protopsaltis Parachoukli - Ntessis Born, 1914, Mitata, Kythera. [There is an interesting photograph posted to kythera-family at Photography Island, subsection, Vintage Portraits, by Arthur Sklavos, (11.10.2004) of 6 young boys leaving Kythera in 1927, which includes a "George C Protopsaltis" - almost certainly "Mosman" George.(?)] George Psaltis, had a shop in Barraba from 1938-1947. Barraba is situated in the far ...
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