Surname Michaelides - Meaning and Origin
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Michaelides: What does the surname Michaelides mean?
The last name Michaelides is derived from the given name Michael, believed to be of Hebrew origin and meaning “Who is like God?” The suffix -ides means “son of.” Therefore, the surname Michaelides literally translates to “son of Michael.”
The Michaelides last name is most commonly found in Cyprus and Greece, but indexing records have been found in the United States, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. It can also be spelled as Michaelidies, Michalides, Michalildis and Michalidez.
In Cyprus, various Michaelides families have owned many important properties, businesses, and other investments for generations. They have also been prominent in government and military. In fact, from 1878-1885 Ioannis (John) Michaelides served as the Prime Minister of Cyprus.
The Michaelides name has also spread to other parts of the world. Three brothers, Andreas, Demetrius, and Chrysostomos Michaelides emigrated from Cyprus to the United States and helped open a successful cobbler’s shop along 5th Avenue in New York City. A prolific British writer, Nikos Michaelides, also bears the Michaelides name.
Today, the Michaelides family is one of the most recognized and respected families of Cyprus. The name is recognized and respected in other parts of the world as well, due to its fascinating history and the many influential individuals who bear the surname.
Order DNA origin analysisMichaelides: Where does the name Michaelides come from?
The last name Michaelides is a common Greek surname, derived from the Greek word "mikros," which means small. It is primarily found in the Greek island of Cyprus. The island has a long and storied history that dates back to at least the 12th century BC and has witnessed a number of different civilizations, including those of Ancient Greece, the Ottomans, and the British Empire.
Today, the last name Michaelides is most commonly found in Cyprus, Greece, and the Greek diaspora community, particularly in parts of the United States and Great Britain. Within the United States, it is most common in the states of California, New Jersey, Florida, and New York, which house some of the largest Greek diaspora communities.
In Cyprus, the last name Michaelides is among the top 25 most common Cypriot surnames. The last name is a reminder of the island's archeological and cultural legacy, and features on a variety of monuments and buildings. For example, the statue of Aphrodite in the Limassol district and various buildings erected during Cyprus' period of British colonization, such as the Victoria School, both feature the family name.
All in all, the last name Michaelides is a common surname that has strong cultural and historical ties to the island of Cyprus and the wider Greek diaspora community. Though not as prevalent as it once was, it still has an active presence in Cyprus and other parts of the world, reminding us of Greece's rich cultural heritage.
Variations of the surname Michaelides
Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for Michaelides include Mikaelides, Mikalos, Makrymichael, Meiklejohn, Michalopoulou, Mikalides, Micali, Micalis, Micklejohn, Michaelidou, Mycale and Michaelis.
Michaelides is a surname of Greek-Cypriot origin, indicative of the Michaelides family of Kyrenia, Kyrenia Mountain range, in North Cyprus. The earliest known records of this family date to the early 1700s and its members were generally members of the business and land-owning elite. One Pompeo Michaelides owned a large estate in Kyrenia from at least 1720 up to the late 1800s, and his brother, George Michaelides, was apparently involved in the politics of the period.
Michaelides is usually derived from the given name "Miklos" or "Mikalās", which is a form of the more widely-known "Michael". The many variants of the Michaelides surname derived from other given names including "Meiklejohn", "Mikalopoulou" and "Michalis", as well as forms of other names containing the "Michael" element.
Rarely, the surname is believed to have derived from the Greek word "méxelos" meaning "harvest" or a "fifth part of a harvest" in ancient Greece. This usually appears as the name variant "Micali" and is thought to have become a surname in the 19th century to indicate a family that was supported by the proceeds of the harvest.
Various other surnames with the same origin include Makrymichael, Micalis, Micklejohn, Michaelidou, Mycale and Michaelis.
Famous people with the name Michaelides
- Andy Michaelides: Greek-Cypriot-born music producer and entrepreneur.
- Lex Michaelides: former professional rugby league footballer.
- Mike Michaelides: former professional tennis player.
- Joe Michaelides: professional football (soccer) player.
- George Michaelides: the former co-CEO of massive real estate development company Whitbread.
- Kyriacos Michaelides: the former governor of the Central Bank of Cyprus.
- Louis Michaelides: former president of the Cyprus Football Association.
- Panos Michaelides: Cypriot international footballer.
- Eva Michaelides: Cypriot swimmer.
- Ben Michaelides: founder of online retail company Zentera.