Classical Greek Origin Surnames

This is a list of surnames in which the origin is Classical Greek. Ancient Greek was the language spoken by the peoples of ancient Greece and other places in the Hellenic world.
usage
origin
Abatangelo Italian
From Italian abate meaning "abbot, priest" combined with the given name Angelo.
Abatantuono Italian
From Italian abate meaning "abbot, priest" combined with the given name Antonio.
Abate Italian
From Italian abate meaning "abbot, priest", derived via Latin and Greek from an Aramaic word meaning "father". This was used either as a nickname or an occupational name for a worker in a priest's house.
Abategiovanni Italian
From Italian abate meaning "abbot, priest" combined with the given name Giovanni.
Abatescianni Italian
From Italian abate meaning "abbot, priest" combined with the given name Gianni.
Abbà Italian
Variant of Abate.
Abbadelli Italian
Means "little abbot" from Italian abate and the diminutive suffix -elli.
Abbascia Italian
Aphetic form of Abatescianni.
Abbate Italian
Variant of Abate.
Abbaticchio Italian
Means "little abbot" from Italian abate and the diminutive suffix -icchio, from Latin -iculus.
Abbott English
English cognate of Abate.
Abt German
German cognate of Abate.
Achilles German
Derived from the given name Achilles.
Albanesi Italian
Originally indicated a person who came from Albania.
Alekseev Russian
Means "son of Aleksey".
Alesci Italian
Means "son of Alessio".
Alescio Italian
From the given name Alessio.
Alesi Italian
From the given name Alessio.
Alesini Italian
Means "son of Alesino", a diminutive of Alessio.
Alesio Italian
From the given name Alessio.
Alessi Italian
From the given name Alessio.
Alexander English
Derived from the given name Alexander.
Allison English
Means "son of Alan" or "son of Alexander" (as well as other given names beginning with Al).
Ambrogi Italian
Means "son of Ambrogio".
Ambrosi Italian
Means "son of Ambrogio".
Andela Dutch
From the given name Andreas.
Anderson English
Means "son of Andrew".
Andersson Swedish
Means "son of Anders". This is the most common surname in Sweden.
André French
Derived from the given name André.
Andreas German, Greek
Derived from the given name Andreas.
Andreasen Danish
Means "son of Andreas".
Andreasson Swedish
Means "son of Andreas".
Andrés Spanish
Derived from the given name Andrés.
Andres German
Derived from the given name Andreas.
Andreu Catalan
From the given name Andreu.
Andrews English
Means "son of Andrew".
Andries Dutch
Derived from the given name Andries.
Andriessen Dutch
Means "son of Andries".
Andringa Dutch
Means "(farm) belonging to Andries" in Dutch.
Andrysiak Polish
Means "son of Andrzej".
Anghelescu Romanian
Means "son of Anghel".
Angioli Italian
Means "son of Angiolo".
Anson English
Means "son of Agnes".
Argyris Greek
Means "silver" in Greek.
Babin French
From the given name Babin, a medieval diminutive of Babylas.
Basile Italian, French
From the given name Basilio or Basile.
Bedrosian Armenian
Alternate transcription of Armenian Պետրոսյան (see Petrosyan).
Bischoffs German
German cognate of Bishop.
Bishop English
Means simply "bishop", ultimately from Greek ἐπίσκοπος (episkopos) meaning "overseer". It probably originally referred to a person who served a bishop.
Biskup Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak cognate of Bishop.
Bowen Welsh
From Welsh ap Owain meaning "son of Owain".
Brose German
Derived from the given name Ambrose.
Broz Croatian
Derived from Broz, a diminutive of Ambrozije. This was the birth surname of the Yugoslavian dictator Josip Broz Tito (1892-1980).
Brož Czech
Derived from Brož, a diminutive of Ambrož.
Broż Polish
Derived from Broż, a diminutive of Ambroży.
Christopher English
Derived from the given name Christopher.
Christophers English
Derived from the given name Christopher.
Church English
From the English word, derived from Old English cirice, ultimately from Greek κυριακόν (kyriakon) meaning "(house) of the lord". It probably referred to a person who lived close to a church.
Claasen Dutch
Means "son of Klaas".
Claes Flemish
From the given name Klaus.
Claesson Swedish
Means "son of Claes".
Clausen Danish
Means "son of Claus".
Cola Italian
From the given name Nicola 1.
Cole English
From a medieval short form of Nicholas or from the byname Cola.
Colijn Dutch
From a diminutive of the given name Nicolaas.
Colin French
From a diminutive of given name Nicolas.
Collins 2 English
Means "son of Colin 2".
Colson English
Means "son of Col".
Coolen Dutch
From the given name Nicolaas.
Cuyler Dutch
Variant of Kuijlaars or Koole.
D'Ambrosio Italian
From the given name Ambrogio.
Damiani Italian
Derived from the given name Damiano.
Damyanov Bulgarian
Means "son of Damyan".
D'Angelo Italian
Means "son of Angelo".
Deacon English
Means "deacon", ultimately from Greek διάκονος (diakonos) meaning "servant".
Deák Hungarian
Possibly a Hungarian form of Deacon.
De Angelis Italian
Means "son of Angelo".
De Filippis Italian
Means "son of Filippo".
De Graaf Dutch
Dutch cognate of Graf.
De Luca Italian
Means "son of Luca 1".
Demetriou Greek
Alternate transcription of Greek Δημητρίου (see Dimitriou).
Denis French
From the given name Denis.
Dennis English
From the given name Dennis.
Dimitriou Greek
Means "son of Dimitrios".
Dimov Bulgarian
Means "son of Dimo".
Di Napoli Italian
Means "from Naples" in Italian.
Di Pasqua Italian
Means "of Easter" in Italian.
Di Pietro Italian
Means "son of Pietro" in Italian.
Di Stefano Italian
Means "son of Stefano".
Đorđević Serbian
Means "son of Đorđe".
Drake English
Derived from the Old Norse byname Draki or the Old English byname Draca both meaning "dragon", both via Latin from Greek δράκων (drakon) meaning "dragon, serpent".
Drees Dutch
Variant of Dries.
Dries Dutch
From the given name Dries.
Driessen Dutch
Means "son of Dries".
Dumitrescu Romanian
Means "son of Dumitru".
Dumitru Romanian
Derived from the given name Dumitru.
Đurić Serbian, Croatian
Means "son of Đuro".
Dwight English
From the medieval feminine name Diot, a diminutive of Dionysia, the feminine form of Dionysius.
Dyson English
Means "son of Dye".
Elena Italian
Derived from the given name Elena.
Ellery English
From the medieval masculine name Hilary.
Engel German
Derived from German given names beginning with Engel, such as Engelbert.
Episcopo Italian
Means "bishop" in Italian, ultimately from Greek ἐπίσκοπος (episkopos).
Ermacora Italian
From the given name Ermacora.
Esteban Spanish
From the given name Esteban.
Esteves Portuguese
Means "son of Estevão".
Estévez Spanish
Means "son of Esteban".
Étienne French
From the given name Étienne.
Eustis English
Derived from the given name Eustace.
Evangelista Italian, Portuguese, Spanish
Means "evangelist" in Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.
Fedorov Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Фёдоров (see Fyodorov).
Filep Hungarian
From the given name Fülöp.
Filipek Polish, Czech
Derived from a diminutive of the given name Filip.
Filipowski Polish
Either a patronymic from the given name Filip, or a habitational name denoting a person from the Polish town of Filipów (also derived from the given name).
Filippi Italian
Derived from the given name Filippo.
Filippov Russian
Means "son of Filip".
Fitzsimmons Irish
Means "son of Simon 1" in Anglo-Norman French.
Flipse Dutch
Variant of Flipsen.
Flipsen Dutch
Means "son of Flip".
Floros Greek
From Greek φλώρος (floros) meaning "greenfinch", derived from classical Greek χλωρός (chloros) meaning "green".
Fülöp Hungarian
Derived from the given name Fülöp.
Fyodorov Russian
Means "son of Fyodor".
Genadiev Bulgarian
Means "son of Genadi".
Genkov Bulgarian
Means "son of Genko".
Genov Bulgarian
Means "son of Geno".
George English
Derived from the given name George.
Georgeson English
Means "son of George".
Georgiev Bulgarian
Means "son of Georgi".
Gevorgian Armenian
Alternate transcription of Armenian Գեւորգյան (see Gevorgyan).
Gevorgyan Armenian
Means "son of Gevorg".
Gheorghe Romanian
Derived from the given name Gheorghe.
Giorgadze Georgian
Means "son of Giorgi".
Gjorgiev Macedonian
Means "son of Gjorgji".
Göransson Swedish
Means "son of Göran".
Goretti Italian
Derived from the given name Gregorio.
Gori Italian
Derived from the given name Gregorio.
Görög Hungarian
Means "Greek" in Hungarian.
Graf German
From the German noble title Graf meaning "count", ultimately from Greek γραφεύς (grapheus) meaning "scribe".
Graves English
Occupational name for a steward, derived from Middle English greyve, related to the German title Graf.
Grayson English
Means "son of the steward", derived from Middle English greyve "steward".
Grec Catalan
Catalan cognate of Greco.
Greco Italian
Means "from Greece" in Italian.
Greer Scottish
Derived from the given name Gregor.
Gregory English
From the given name Gregory.
Grgić Croatian
Means "son of Grgur".
Grier Scottish
Derived from the given name Gregor.
Grieve Scottish
Occupational name meaning "steward, farm manager" in Middle English, related to the German title Graf.
Griffin 2 English
Nickname from the mythological beast with body of a lion with head and wings of an eagle. It is ultimately from Greek γρύψ (gryps).
Grigorescu Romanian
Means "son of Grigore" in Romanian.
Grigorov Bulgarian
Means "son of Grigor".
Grigoryan Armenian
Means "son of Grigor" in Armenian.
Grześkiewicz Polish
Derived from the given name Grzegorz.
Hristov Bulgarian
Means "son of Hristo".
Ingram English
Derived from the given name Ingram.
Jérôme French
Derived from the given name Jérôme.
Jerome English
Derived from the given name Jerome. A famous bearer of this surname was the American-born Jennie Jerome (1854-1921), Lady Randolph Churchill, mother of Sir Winston Churchill.
Jiménez Spanish
Means "son of Jimeno".
Jorge Spanish, Portuguese
From the given name Jorge.
Jørgensen Danish
Means "son of Jørgen".
Jukić Croatian
Derived from a diminutive of the given name Juraj.
Jurić Croatian
Means "son of Jure".
Juriša Croatian
Derived from a diminutive form of Jure.
Kaloyanov Bulgarian
Means "son of Kaloyan".
Kató Hungarian
Derived from a diminutive of the Hungarian feminine given name Katalin.
Kevorkian Armenian
Alternate transcription of Armenian Գեւորգյան (see Gevorgyan).
Kirby English
From numerous towns in northern England named Kirby or Kirkby, derived from Old Norse kirkja "church" and býr "farm, settlement".
Kirch German
German cognate of Church.
Kirk English
From northern Middle English kirk meaning "church", from Old Norse kirkja (cognate of Church). A famous fictional bearer is the starship captain James Kirk from the Star Trek television series (1966-1969), and subsequent films.
Klaasen Dutch
Means "son of Klaas".
Klasson Swedish
Means "son of Klas".
Klausen Danish
Means "son of Klaus".
Kolen Dutch
From the given name Nicolaas.
Kolijn Dutch
From the given name Nicolaas.
Kollen Dutch
From the given name Nicolaas.
Kool Dutch
Derived from a short form of the given name Nicolaas.
Koole Dutch
Derived from a short form of the given name Nicolaas.
Koolen Dutch
Derived from the given name Nicolaas.
Kools Dutch
Derived from the given name Nicolaas.
Krikorian Armenian
Alternate transcription of Armenian Գրիգորյան (see Grigoryan).
Kyler Dutch (Anglicized)
Anglicized form of Cuyler.
Laakkonen Finnish
Possibly from a diminutive of the given name Niklas.
Léandre French
Derived from the given name Léandre.
Leeuwenhoek Dutch
Means "lion's corner" in Dutch. The first bearer of this name lived on the corner (Dutch hoek) of the Lion's Gate (Dutch Leeuwenpoort) in the city of Delft.
Lennartsson Swedish
Means "son of Lennart".
León 2 Spanish
From the given name León.
Leonard English
Derived from the given name Leonard.
Leonardi Italian
From the given name Leonardo.
Leonardson English
Means "son of Leonard".
Leone Italian
Derived from the given name Leone 1.
Leoni Italian
Derived from the given name Leone 1.
Lévesque French
Derived from French évêque, a cognate of Bishop.
Lippi Italian
From the given name Filippo. It is common in the area of Florence.
Loewe German
Variant of Löwe.
Löwe German, Jewish
Means "lion" in German.
Lowe 1 Jewish (Anglicized)
Americanized form of Löwe.
Lucas English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Dutch
Derived from the given name Lucas. A famous bearer of this surname is George Lucas (1944-), the creator of the Star Wars movies.
Lucassen Dutch
Means "son of Lucas".
Lučić Croatian, Serbian
Means "son of Luka".
Lukács Hungarian
From the given name Lukács.
Lukeson English (Rare)
Means "son of Luke".
Lukić Serbian
Means "son of Luka".
Lyon 2 English, French
From a nickname derived from Old French and Middle English lion meaning "lion".
Lyon 3 French, English
From the given name Leon.
Mac Alastair Irish
Irish Gaelic form of McAlister.
MacAlastair Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of McAlister.
MacEalair Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of McKellar.
Mac Eoghain Irish
Means "son of Eoghan" in Irish.
MacEòghainn Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Mac Eoghain.
MacGregor Scottish
Anglicized form of Gaelic MacGriogair meaning "son of Gregor". It originates from the Highland clan Gregor. A famous bearer was the Scottish folk hero Rob Roy MacGregor (1671-1734).
MacGriogair Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of MacGregor.
Makarov Russian
Means "son of Makar".
Mandić Serbian, Croatian
Means "son of Manda".
McAlister Scottish, Irish
From Scottish Gaelic MacAlastair or Irish Gaelic Mac Alastair meaning "son of Alistair".
McCune Irish
Anglicized form of Mac Eoghain.
McEwan Scottish
Anglicized form of MacEòghainn.
McKellar Scottish
From Gaelic MacEalair meaning "son of Ealar".
McKowen Irish
Anglicized form of Mac Eoghain.
Messina Italian
From the name of the Sicilian city of Messina, founded by Greek colonists. The city was named after the Greek city Μεσσήνη (Messene).
Mikolajczak Polish
From the Polish given name Mikołaj.
Murgatroyd English
From a place name meaning "Margaret's clearing".
Napoletani Italian
Originally indicated a person from Naples in Italy.
Napoli Italian
Originally indicated a person from Naples in Italy.
Napoliello Italian
Originally indicated a person from Naples in Italy.
Nardi Italian
From the given name Nardo, which was originally a short form of names like Bernardo or Leonardo.
Nardo Italian
Variant of Nardi.
Nardovino Italian (Rare)
Either from Nardo, a short form of names like Bernardo or Leonardo, or from Ardovino, a variant of Arduino.
Nicholls English
Derived from the given name Nichol.
Nichols English
Derived from the given name Nichol.
Nicholson English
Means "son of Nicholas". A famous bearer of this surname is the American actor Jack Nicholson (1937-).
Nickleby Literature
Created by Charles Dickens for the title character in his novel Nicholas Nickleby (1839). He probably based it on Nicol, a medieval vernacular form of Nicholas, with the common English place name suffix -by, which is derived from Old Norse býr meaning "farm, settlement".
Nicodemo Italian
Derived from the given name Nicodemo.
Nicolai Italian
Means "son of Nicola 1".
Nicolas French
Derived from the given name Nicolas.
Nicolescu Romanian
Means "son of Nicolae".
Nielsen Danish
Means "son of Niels 1".
Niklasson Swedish
Means "son of Niklas".
Nikolajsen Danish
Means "son of Nikolaj".
Nikolov Bulgarian
Means "son of Nikolay".
Nikula Finnish
From the given name Niku, a Finnish form of Nicholas.
Nilsen Norwegian
Means "son of Nils".
Nilsson Swedish
Means "son of Nils".
Nissen Danish
Means "son of Nis".
Nixon English
Means "son of Nick". A famous bearer was the American president Richard Nixon (1913-1994).
Owen Welsh
From the Welsh given name Owain.
Owens Welsh
From the Welsh given name Owain.
Pabst German
From German Papst, a cognate of Pope.
Pandev Macedonian
Means "son of Pande", Pande being a diminutive of Petar.
Panossian Armenian
Alternate transcription of Armenian Փանոսյան (see Panosyan).
Panosyan Armenian
Means "son of Panos".
Papadimitriou Greek
Means "son of Dimitrios the priest", from Greek πάπας (papas) combined with the given name Dimitrios.
Papadopoulos Greek
Means "son of the priest", from Greek πάπας (papas) combined with the patronymic suffix πουλος (poulos).
Papageorgiou Greek
Means "son of Georgios the priest", from Greek πάπας (papas) combined with the given name Georgios.