Papathanasiou

Papathanasiou (Greek: Παπαθανασίου) is a Greek patronymic surname, denoting "son of Athanasios the priest". The name is formed by combining the Greek word παπάς (papas), meaning "priest" or "pope", with the given name Athanasios. This reflects a common Greek practice of creating surnames from a parent's occupation or status, where papas indicated a priest, and the addition of a first name signified descent. Thus, Papathanasiou literally translates as "son of the priest Athanasios".

The element papas found in many Greek surnames, such as Papadopoulos ("son of the priest"), indicates the originator of the family was likely a clergyman. Athanasios comes from the root name Athanasius (Greek Ἀθανάσιος), meaning "immortal" — from the negative prefix a and thanatos meaning "death". Saint Athanasius, a 4th-century bishop of Alexandria known for his opposition to Arianism, greatly popularized the name in Christian communities.

Notable Bearers

Several Greek artists bear the name Papathanasiou. The most famous is perhaps Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou (1943–2022), the internationally renowned musician Vangelis, known for his Chariots of Fire and Blade Runner scores. Another carrier is Vasiliki Papathanasiou (born 1949), better known as Vicky Leandros, a Greek singer and politician. Her father, Leandros Papathanasiou (Leo Leandros), was also a musician. Notable figures in other fields include Aspasia Papathanasiou (born 1946), a Greek actress, Andreas Papathanasiou (born 1983), a Cypriot footballer, Yannis Papathanasiou (born 1954), a Greek politician, and Aimilios Papathanasiou (born 1973), a Greek sailor.

• Meaning: "son of the priest Athanasios"
• Origin: Greek
• Type: Patronymic surname
• Usage regions: Greece, Greek diaspora