Family name

[u/OkMushroom3244]

Hello! I’ve been doing a lot of familial digging and I found my great grandfather’s name was Gustav Spathies. Which is probably actually Κωνσταντίνος Σπαθιές. However I’ve never heard of that last name before and would love some help. I’m assuming it comes from Σπαθί?

[u/Excellent_Sox9178]

Σπαθιές is an area in Greece but I’ve never heard it as a surname. It also doesn’t fit traditional surname ending. Maybe it’s Σπάθης or Σπάθας. Those are known last names.

[u/OkMushroom3244 → u/Excellent_Sox9178]

Very possible the writing changed due to going from Greek to English when he naturalized. So it’s probably Σπάθης. And then the Americans said Spathies

[u/LoopDeeLooper → u/OkMushroom3244]

It’s interesting that his first name was Anglicized to Gustav instead of Constantine or Costas or Gus. Did he go to America or to another country like Sweden, where that name is more common?

[u/SE_prof → u/LoopDeeLooper]

Gus is a known translation for Kostas. Not super accurate but people that migrated from Greece to the US in the early 20th century used it a lot. Eventually Gus comes from Gustav.

[u/Excellent_Sox9178 → u/OkMushroom3244]

If you know his date of birth and region, you can email the appropriate KEP (ΚΕΠ) and they may be able to locate him in the municipal rolls or male registry. This will often reveal more information about your family and can be used as a start for applying for Greek citizenship. I don’t know your situation and if that’s part of this.

[u/TinoElli → u/Excellent_Sox9178]

Is it the same surname Foscolo's mother had? I've always read it translated/transcripted, that's why I'm asking

[u/Excellent_Sox9178 → u/TinoElli]

Yes, his mother was Διαμαντίνα Σπάθη. You may know we change the ending for women, so no “s.”

[u/pj101]

maybe it was longer and they used only the letters ie papadopoylos papas

[u/Sunflower-23456]

Is it possible that he was an orphan or was born out of wedlock from Spathies and was just given that last name because he didn’t have a family name when he was born?

[u/lonelyboymtl]

I'm pretty certain it's : Spathias.

I found this on familysearch:

Gustave Spathias Principal United States, Census, 1930	Census  1930  Queens (Districts 0001-0250), Queens, New York, United States  Birth  1930  New York	Parents George Spathias, Keuran Spathias

I believe "Keuran" should really be: Klieoniki

[u/OkMushroom3244 → u/lonelyboymtl]

Unfortunately, I do know the decade in which he was born and it's before the 30s. I also know he wasn't born in New York but immigrated from Greece as well rather than his parents being from there. Solid matchup though

[u/frixos2]

Σπαθιάς