Vlach surnames originate from Vlach (Aromanian, Meglenitic, and other Balkan Romance-speaking) communities, primarily found in Romania, Serbia, North Macedonia, Greece, Albania, and Bulgaria. Vlachs may identify with different nationalities depending on the area, but they maintain unique surname characteristics derived from their Balkan geography and Romance language heritage. The Latin word "Valachus," which denoted these Romance-speaking peoples, is whence the word "Vlach" itself originates.
History of Vlach surnamesHistory of Vlach surnames
Originating from the medieval term "Vlach," which was used to refer to Romance-speaking populations, especially in the Balkans, Vlach surnames were later linked to particular groups such as the Aromanians and Megleno-Romanians. The name itself comes from the Germanic word "Walhaz," which means "foreigner" or "stranger," and was used by Germanic tribes to refer to a variety of Romance-speaking peoples. This phrase changed throughout time and became a surname, indicating ancestry to certain Vlach communities. The surnames of Aromanians (Macedo-Vlachs) can have Greek or Slavic roots, yet they can still be traced back to Latin.
Vlach surnames naming conventionsVlach surnames naming conventions
A dual naming system is frequently reflected in Vlach surnames, which combine official Serbian or other regional naming norms with Vlach patronymic roots. Suffixes from other languages, such as Greek, Albanian, Slavic, or Romanian ones, such as -escu, -eanu, or -așcu, are commonly used in Vlach names. Due to the resurgence of the Vlach language and culture, the informal Vlach naming system—which is frequently based on patronyms and transmitted orally—has become more prevalent in recent years.
Types of Vlach surnamesTypes of Vlach surnames
Vlach surnames of patronymic originVlach surnames of patronymic origin
These derive from the personal name of an ancestor, often with suffixes meaning “son of” or “descendant of”:
- Popescu – “son of the priest” (from popa, priest)
- Ionescu – “son of Ion” (John)
- Dumitrescu – “son of Dumitru” (Demetrius)
- Stănescu – “son of Stan”
- Petrescu – “son of Petre” (Peter)
- Radu – from the given name Radu
- Voicu – possibly derived from Slavic Vojko, adopted by Vlachs
- Nicolaescu – “son of Nicolae” (Nicholas)
- Costescu – “son of Coste”
- Zamfir – from a personal name of Persian origin (via Greek), used by Vlachs
Vlach surnames of toponymic originVlach surnames of toponymic origin
These surnames indicate origin from a place or region, sometimes adding -ean(u) or -ar(u) endings:
- Moldoveanu – from Moldova
- Muntenu / Muntenescu – from Muntenia
- Bucurescu – from Bucharest (București)
- Olteanu – from Oltenia
- Bistrițean – from Bistrița
- Drăgășanu – from Drăgășani
- Vrăneanu – from Vrancea
- Hațegan – from Hațeg
- Ciucur – from Ciuc region (Hungarian influence, adapted into Vlach names)
- Timocianu – from the Timok Valley (Serbia/Bulgaria, strong Vlach presence)
Vlach surnames of occupational originVlach surnames of occupational origin
Many Vlach surnames stem from ancestral trades or social roles:
- Cioban / Ciobanu – “shepherd”
- Croitoru – “tailor”
- Lăutaru – “musician, fiddler”
- Fieraru – “blacksmith”
- Păcuraru – “sheep herder”
- Brutaru – “baker”
- Văcaru – “cowherd”
- Tăbăcaru – “tanner”
- Pitaru – “bread-maker”
- Tufaru – from tufă, “shrub,” possibly indicating a herbalist or forager
Vlach surnames of descriptive originVlach surnames of descriptive origin
These reflect physical traits, personality, or a nickname passed down through generations:
- Albulescu – “the little white/fair one”
- Negru / Negrilă – “black/dark-skinned or dark-haired”
- Roșu / Roșianu – “red” (hair or face)
- Lungulescu – “the tall one”
- Scurtu – “the short one”
- Mutu – “mute” (likely figurative)
- Zdravcu – “strong” or “sturdy”
- Bujor – “peony” or used figuratively for someone rosy-cheeked
- Moșu – “elder” or “old man”
- Frumosu – “handsome”
Vlach surnames of mixed originVlach surnames of mixed origin
Due to intermixing and administrative overlays, some Vlach surnames contain Greek, Slavic, Turkish, or Albanian elements:
- Hadji-Vasile / Hagi-Vasile – “pilgrim Vasile” (Greek-Turkish influence)
- Bakoi – from Greek bakas, “cattleman”
- Karafil – from Turkish karanfil, “carnation” (nickname or merchant name)
- Dăscălescu – “son of the teacher” (dascăl)
- Stamboliu – from Istanbul (Stamboul)
- Kurtović – from kurt, Turkish for “wolf,” adopted among Muslim Vlachs
- Delija – Ottoman-era honorific meaning “brave”
- Avramov – Slavicized form of “Avram” (Abraham)
- Papadopol – Greek papas (priest) + polis, “priest’s son from the city”
- Agapie – Greek origin, common among Aromanians
Most common Vlach surnamesMost common Vlach surnames
- Abduševic
- Vlachos
- Çoban
- Averoff
- Bačunić
- Moceanu
- Hagi
- Diamandi
- Basarabić
- Dragas
Celebrities with Vlach surnamesCelebrities with Vlach surnames
- Gheorghe Hagi - Romanian professional football manager and former player, who is currently the owner of Liga I club Farul Constanța. Deployed as an attacking midfielder, Hagi was considered one of the best players in the world during the 1980s and '90s, and is regarded by many as the greatest Romanian footballer of all time
- Yiannis Boutaris - Greek winemaker and politician who served as Mayor of Thessaloniki from 2011 to 2019.
- Dominique Moceanu - American former artistic gymnast. She was a member of the gold medal-winning United States women's gymnastics team, the "Magnificent Seven", at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. She won two medals at the 1995 World Championships and the all-around title at the 1998 Goodwill Games.
- Evangelos Averoff-Tossizza - Greek politician, leader of the New Democracy party (1981–1984), member of parliament, and author.
- Simona Halep - Romanian former professional tennis player. She was ranked as the world No. 1 in women's singles by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) for 64 weeks, including as the year-end No. 1 in 2017 and 2018. Halep won 25 WTA Tour–level titles, including two majors at the 2018 French Open and the 2019 Wimbledon Championships
- Ioryi Mucitanu - Ottoman Aromanian revolutionary during the Macedonian Struggle. He was the first leader of the first Aromanian band of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO).
See alsoSee also
Explore more about Vlach surnamesExplore more about Vlach surnames
- Discover the origin of your Vlach last name at MyHeritage
References