Surname Tsirakidis - Meaning and Origin
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Tsirakidis: What does the surname Tsirakidis mean?
The last name Tsirakidis is derived from the Greek word “tsirakos” which translates to “cypress tree”. The name indicates a link to antiquity and is often associated with the ancients of Ancient Greece. The cypress tree symbolizes death, resurrection, and life, and the rings in the wood of the tree were considered auspicious in Ancient Greece. Additionally, the color of the cypress tree, a deep, almost black green, is often associated with divine forces.
The surname Tsirakidis is also both a given and patronymic name meaning “son of cypress”. It is mostly found in Central and northern Greece, with strains in Crete, Lesvos, and Thessaly as well.
The surname Tsirakidis has been documented since the 13th century, though its exact origins are not known. It is thought that the surname originated from ancient Greeks with connections to areas of the country where cypress trees were found or even with cultivation of cypress trees for use in creation of common items like wine casks, furniture, and wooden bowls in the past.
Though the origin of the surname is not clear, Tsirakidis is one of the oldest Greek surnames in existence, signaling a connection with ancient Greece and a reverence associated with the cypress tree. The name remains prevalent in Greek culture and is still used to this day.
Order DNA origin analysisTsirakidis: Where does the name Tsirakidis come from?
The last name Tsirakidis is common throughout among Greek-speaking populations across Europe. It is particularly common in Greece, followed by the south Slavic countries of Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia. The popularity of the last name is believed to stem from the ancient city of Tsirakion, located in ancient Greece. The city was inhabited by many of the same families who moved and spread their name across Europe in the early and mid-19th century.
Today, Tsirakidis can be found throughout much of Europe, including Cyprus, Albania, and Romania. It is most common among the populous Greek diaspora in the United States and Canada, as well as in England, France, Germany, and Australia.
In Greece, the Tsirakidis family is mainly concentrated in northern Peloponnese and Corfu. This is the area where the ancient city of Tsirakion is located, and the presence of the surname in the region most likely dates to the early-to-mid 19th-century migrations of Greeks to meet the new industrial needs of the growing economy.
In other European countries, the Tsirakidis family may not be as widely represented as in Greece. Still, families bearing the surname are spread over a wide geographic range and continue to practice traditions handed down from their ancient Greek ancestors.
Variations of the surname Tsirakidis
The Tsirakidis surname is an uncommon Greek surname. Its most common variants in Greek are Tsirakides (Τσιρακίδης) and Tsirakidou (Τσιρακίδου). There are also some variant spellings, such as Tsirakidisv, Tsirakidisvh, and Tsiranidis.
In addition to these variants, other similar surnames of Greek origin include Tsirakoglou (Τσιρακογλου) and Tsirikoudis (Τσιρικουδης). These surnames are likely to have originated as either variants of Tsirakidis or as alternative spellings.
Other surnames that could be related to Tsirakidis include Cirkos, Kirakos, Kirakou, Kirakis, Ksirakis, Ksiras, Kyrkos, Kyrkou, and Kyrkou. These names could be derived directly from the Greek word “kyrkos,” meaning “circle,” as a reference to the circular form of a city's or village's walls, or as a reference to a person's work as an artisan who carved circular patterns into wood.
In terms of foreign language variants, the surname Tsirakidis is similar to "Zurakidis" (Ζουρακίδης), which is a prominent Greek-Cypriot surname. It is possible that Tsirakidis could be derived from this surname, or vice versa. Other foreign language variants include Tsirakin (Tسيراكن), Tsirekidis (Τσιρεκιδης), and Curakidis (Ագոնահասանելից չեմ՝ Նախապես, Curakidis), derived from the Armenian name Curak, which is a variant of “kirak” or “kyrk.”
Overall, Tsirakidis is an uncommon surname with various origins and many possible variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. Whether derived directly from the Greek word "kyrkos," foreign language variants, or other surnames of Greek origin, it appears that the Tsirakidis surname is closely linked to the concept of a "circle," likely as a reference to a city of village's walls or a person's work as an artisan.
Famous people with the name Tsirakidis
- Pavlos Tsirakidis: Pavlos Tsirakidis is a Greek singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He has released two critically acclaimed albums and is a member of the 'Nocturno Culto' band.
- Thierry Tsirakidis: Thierry Tsirakidis is a French-born Swiss basketball coach and former player. Thierry is the current head coach of the Union Neuchâtel Basket professional basketball team.
- Nickolas Tsirakidis: Nickolas Tsirakidis is a Greek professional basketball player who plays for AGO Rethymno of the Greek Basket League.
- Daniel Tsirakidis: Daniel Tsirakidis is a Swiss-born Greek footballer who plays as a forward. He is currently playing for FC Locarno in the Swiss Challenge League.
- Aris Tsirakidis: Aris Tsirakidis is a Greek former footballer who is currently the youth team manager for PAOK Thessaloniki in the Greek Super League.
- Paschalis Tsirakidis: Paschalis Tsirakidis is a Greek singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He has released two albums to critical acclaim and is the lead singer in the band 'Quartz Frogs'.
- Christina Tsirakidis: Christina Tsirakidis is a Greek-American figure skater. She has competed in both the European and US Figure Skating Championships in younger age divisions.
- John Tsirakidis: John Tsirakidis is a Greek professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Asteras Tripoli in the Greek Super League.
- Jeff Tsirakidis: Jeff Tsirakidis is an American-born author and illustrator. He is the author and illustrator of several books, including the cult classic 'An Epic Tale of a Space Adventure'.