Tzavaras
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According to genealogical researchers, the surname Tzavaras (Greek: Τζαβάρας) can be classified as of patronymic / nickname origin.
It is either the Hellenization of the Albanian word çanavar which means "monster" or "brave", but within a historical context would signify “mercenary” and later on “janissary”; or a Byzantine compound surname made up of the prefix dia (tza), with a general meaning of “through”, but here understood as “origin” or “from”; and the term baros meaning “heavy”, but signifying “strong”.[1]
The origin of this modern Greek family name lies in the Middle Ages, in the city of Novo Brdo, Metohija, present day Kosovo. It was part of Vuk Brankovic’s realm and Pavle Orlovic’s fiefdom. Those who were empowered to act as Orlovic’s bodyguards or as a police force were known as čuvar (meaning “guardian” in Old Slavonic) and çanavar (meaning “brave” in Gheg Albanian).[2]
But little after Pavle Orlovic's death fighting the Ottoman army in the Battle of Kosovo Polje, along with the end of the Serbian Empire, Novo Brdo finally fell on June 1. 1455. In the escape the majority chose the Kingdom of Hungary,[3] where the core of the Serbian nobility had gathered to resist.[4]
Others instead fled to Epirus,[5] where the admixture with local populations gives birth to the Tzavareoi (Greek: Τζαβαραίοι) clan or “phara”.[6]
The clan was to be again on the move. Some members had integrated into the Ghica family, so they were sent by the Ottomans to serve with the Phanariote administration in the Danubian Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia. Inscriptions both in the Stavropoleos Monastery library and the grave yards of the Comănești palace cemetery give acquaintance about the existence of bearers of this surname in those regions.[7]
The majority instead, established in the Kakosouli village, which was one of the main four villages in the Souliote Confederation. But fighting against the Ottoman enemy in the end caused the last huge migration of the clan reaching further lands like the Peloponnesus or the Ionian Islands.[8] Those who were chased as klephtes found shelter the Arcadian highlands,[9] meanwhile those who were tame peasants continued their journey on to Messenia settling mainly in Kyparissia and Filiatra.[10]