Takis

Recorded in several forms including Tacos, Takis, Takos and Takkos, this is a Greek patronymic surname, but possibly one of biblical origins. It is believed to originate from an ancient word "taks" meaning the badger, with the fused suffix "-akis" meaning son of, and as such may originally have been a nickname for a person of nocturnal habits, or more likely had black hair streaked with grey, and in consequence was thought by his fellows to have some resemblance to the animal. It is estimated that at least twenty percent of all European surnames are or rather were, originally medieval nicknames, and as such they form one of the largest groups. Unfortunately for many reasons there is a great shortage of early recordings in Greece. Central recording by either the church or the government is by British standards quite a recent event, and followed the total separation of Greece from Turkey in 1864, when the modern state was established. There then followed a long period of prosperity under the monarchy when a whole new adminstration on modern lines was created, but this was brought to a halt by the First World War in 1914. Since then Greece has struggled to achieve political stability. In this case we have a 19th century recording, being that of George Takos and his wife the former Mary Surbas, whose son Angelo was christened at Megora, Attikis, on January 1st 1895.