Makris

The origin of the surname Makris

Makris means “tall” or “long.”

What kind of surname is Makris?

As a descriptive surname (or nickname name), the surname Makris arose from a personal characteristic — a physical trait, a quality of temperament, or a distinguishing feature of its first bearer. Communities have always coined nicknames, and in the age before fixed surnames these vivid, affectionate or teasing labels — referring to hair colour, stature, complexion or character — frequently became hereditary. Descriptive surnames give an unusually human glimpse of an ancestor, hinting at how they looked or how they were regarded by the people around them.

How Greek surnames work

Greek surnames are strongly patronymic and often reveal the region they come from through their endings: “-poulos” (“son of”) is typical of the Peloponnese, “-akis” of Crete, “-idis/-iadis” of Pontic and northern Greek families, and “-oglou” reflects Anatolian and Turkish contact. Others derive from occupations, nicknames or places. Many appear in the genitive case, literally meaning “of” a father or family, and women's forms have traditionally taken a genitive ending too.