Last summer at the Sparta office of the General Archives of Greece, I was given permission to take digital images of pages of records of the Male Registers (Mitroon Arrenon) and Dimotologion (Town Registers) that listed names found in my family tree. I have created an index of the families of Anavriti, as found in the pages of the Male Registers that I obtained.
If your family name is listed below, please contact the GAK office in Sparta for assistance in obtaining copies of the records. The staff is kind and most helpful: Maria, Michalis, and K. Gavala speak English and are sincerely desirous to be of assistance.
The GAK office email address is: mail@gak.lak.sch.gr
The mailing address is:
GAK – Archives of Laconia
174 Vrasidou
Sparta 23100
Telephone: 27310-22884
Please note that this list may not complete.
Spartan Roots (Σπαρτιατικές Ρίζες) 
My birth name was: Peter James Katsiftis (Katsichtis) I wrote quite some time ago that my father was James Peter Katsiftis and he pronounced it as kah-chif-tis. His father Panagiotis Katsichtis was born +/- 2 yrs around 1890 and came to the US around 1908 +/- 2 yrs. He went by Pete Katsichtis; but after contracting TB; he returned to Greece to die leaving my father and his wife here in Washington, DC. Several years ago I tried to contact another Katsichtis family in Queens, NY; but, no one would answer my emails; except for a woman named Staci Katsichtis in Canada. She couldn’t answer any of my questions and couldn’t explain why her relatives in NY wouldn’t answer me. All I wanted was to know more about the family in Anavryti; nothing more.
Thank you for sharing. My grandparents, who are still alive in their 90s, still live in Anavriti.
Paternal family names are: Tsahalis and Kalamaras
Maternal names are: Plevritis and Livas
My grandmother (Livas) was from Socha which is one village over but I believe is no longer inhabited. Livas does show up in this registry though.
Is there a way to get more information on a great grandparent? My great grandmother had a very unusual name. She died when my grandmother was still a child. Her name, according to my grandmother, was “Stratego”. I believe her maiden name is also Tsahalis/Tsahali but married a Kalamaras. As my grandmother is still alive, I would love to find out more about her.
This is an amazing blog. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for your message! I know of your family names and will send an email to you 😊
This is great! My grandparents were Panagioti and Zaharo Mitakeas. They lived to 101 and 103, married for 80 years.
They had a place in Anavriti and Pergadaika. I have sent an email in hopes of anything the archives may have.
Thank you.
For all descendants of Anavryti, you should know that the sons of this small but significant Town founded the very first formally organized Greek Society (Sylogo) in the USA in 1901. The Society is still going strong and will celebrate the Feast Day of Panagia Faneromeni at St. Demetrios’ Church Hall in Astoria, NY on September 29, 2019. This Day has been Celebrated by the Society for Decades and was often celebrated in St. Demetrios Church in Perth Amboy, NJ where many from Anavryti settled at the turn of the last Century.
In addition to funding the School in Anavryti (substantially via the Sakas Trust) and various other projects in the Town (Road upgrade, Hotel construction, renovation of several Churches, cafe upgrade and other projects), the Society was a founding member of the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater NY, Inc., that has organized and hosted the Greek Independence Day Parade on 5th Avenue in NYC since 1938. I believe James Sakas was the Federation’s First President and Parade Chairman.
George Katchihtis is the Society’s current President and he and his brother Panagioti own the famed Neptune Diner in Astoria.
My father, George Kalamaras was born there in 1931 (and first came to the US in 1947) and his Father, Spiro was born there in 1890 (and first came to the US in 1916 and fought in WW1), whose father George, was also born there, but I’m not sure when.
The aging yet lovely Town ought be visited by all with any connection or otherwise for its history, views, cool Summer nights and numerous mountain water springs from where its formal named Vryseon (Springs) Anavryti derives.
With no offense to our Hebrew Brothers and Sisters, in most internet stories on Anavryti, there seems to be much made of Anavryti’s “Jewish” roots. While interesting, I’ve never meet a Jew from there, nor have I seen or heard of any physical evidence of any Jewish roots. What I have heard is that due to the industrious and dynamic nature of its inhabitants, that made them relatively wealthy, that many from the outside derided them as “Jews”.
I was hoping to go again this year, but an illness kept me in NY, although my older brother, Spiro, is currently there with his wife, Stella Skokos, who was born there.
A big thanks to Spartan Roots.
Thank you for sharing this important history with us! I love visiting Anavryti and do so every summer. The families in the U.S. have made important contributions to the village (certainly the road!) and the community remains strong both in the village and in the U.S.My cousin, Father Eugene Pappas, is the priest at Three a Hierarchs Church in Brooklyn where many parishioners have Anavryti roots. Many Anavryti families married into my family from Agios Ioannis and my Kostakos Family has early roots in Pergadaika and Anavryti. The Kalamaras family is one of the stalwarts of the village and I see that family name in Sparta records. I so appreciate your comments- thank you again 😊
Our family knows Fr. Eugene very well and he is a proud Ay. Ioannioti. We will very likely see him at our Brooklyn Parish (Holy Cross), where he usually comes to help celebrate our Feast Day of the Cross. I will be certain to say “Hello” for you.
I was baptized at Three Hierarchs Church (at the time Fr. Harry Gavalas was the priest) by my Godfather, George Koutros, whose family roots are from Anavryti, but I believe he was born in Mystra.
By the way, we have Kostakos friends there. I forget the mother’s name off- hand, but she is good friends with my mother, Rodia, who is originally from Petrina (born Angelakos). I know these Kostsakos’ have a son George, who used to work at the UN in NY, but is now doing environmental research in Europe. He has a sister (Penny?) in Sparti, who I believe is an attorney.
Again, great job and Hronia Polla.
DGK
My grandfather and grandmother were born in Anavryti and have myself spent a week in that wonderful village. Ladopoulos grandfather, Chrisamalis grandmother. Regarding the legend of the Greek Mountain Jews I have done quite a lot of research on Jewish History in Greece and shockingly came up 17 percent Jewish on a DNA test so began the search where that surprise originated. I discovered from history there is truth in the legend. In 1493 the Inquisition evicted or Killed Jews in Spain who would not convert. The Ottoman Turks in control of Greece at the time welcomed the Jews for their different skills who settled mostly in Thessaloniki but some migrated south into the Pelepponesus, then known as Morea. In the late 1600s the Venetians invaded Morea and sought to destroy Jewish people and communities. It is possible that these Jews fleeing for their lives went to that high remote mountain top where they would be undetected – only way up was steep winding path walking or by mule. Over the next 200 years they established a 4,000 strong self supporting community taking goods down to Sparta for trade until that part of Greece saw the great migration to the USA in the lane 1800s early 1900s. Eventually the village became Greek Orthodox probably due to intermarriage with Christians below on the Sparta plain. From history and from my own DNA test this is my theory about the history of the legend of the JEWISH FOUNDING OF ANAVRYTI.
Thank you for sharing this history! In my research, I found that a branch of the Ladopoulos family of Anavryti went down the mountain to Agios Ioannis and their name became Ladis. The Ladis’ married into my Kostakos family. The two villages are closely intertwined, with many intermarriages. We may be related!
Your blog lists many familiar names. I am the granddaughter of Sperodon Marinos and Christina Morfogen (Morfogenis on your list) My mother had cousins named Adamakos, Papas (Papadakas on your list) and Gianneas. Other names are very familiar to my childhood church, Three Hierarchs, in Brooklyn, NY. We had many families from Anavryti. My husband and I hope to visit Anavryti. Thank you for your blog and the connections.
My grandfather was from Anavryti; his name was Panayotis Katsichtis. His only son was born in Wash, DC Oct 30, 1916. James Peter. My father grew up never knowing his father; because, after learning he had TB when my father was still a very young child, he went back to Greece to die. Leaving my father here. He misspelled his name his whole life. He used Katsiftis. Somehow he transposed KATSIXTIS for KATSIFTIS. My grandmother Katina and her brother Tony Ventiris came from the Sparti region. MY parents split when I was still an infant and I didn’t know my father until I was 21 married and with my step-fathers last name. My mother’s father came from just north of Kalamata he was a Limparopoulos, her mother from Rabka, Poland. These grandparents I knew until their passing many years ago. I’m now 78 pushing 79 yrs old.
Hi Peter, Thank you for your message and for reading my blog. I may have more information for you about the Katsichtis. I am away from home this week and return next weekend and I will write to you then. Do you have any idea when your grandfather was born or how long he was in the US before your father was born? Also do you know if your grandparents were married in Greece or in the US?
1st, sorry to be so long in answering;I had quadruple heart by-pass on June 5th and just now going back through emails. Panagiotis Katsichtis and Katina Ventiris were married here in the USA;I believe in WashDC; which, my father James Peter was born 10,30,1916.
Peter
Hi, thank you for this posting. My mother’s family is from Anavryti – Mitrakos is the name. I was fortunate enough to visit in 2015. I came across and older gentleman having his morning coffee at the restaurant and he remembered my family well. He took me to my mother’s home but the couple living there were out hiking. I hope to visit again some time very soon. If I contact the GAK office in Sparta, what kind of information will they give me? Thanks again.
I am the last oldest grandson of Peter Kapsoulias and Stella Arniotis and I am very grateful for the listings and all your hard work. Thank you
Thank you for your comment! As you know, the Arniotis family is large and one of the oldest families in Anavryti!
Hi, I am also related to Stella Arniotis and Peter Camposulis. I am their great-grandaughter, and I have been trying to do some research into their lives & stories. If you have any records of them, would you send it to me as well? Thank you!
Sorry to reply so long from your note because I have not been on this site for years.
Peter Camposulis first came to this country before world war 1. He had an uncle who was living in NYC years before and was one of the first of the the family to come here.
My grandfather went back in the 1920s and married Stella my grandmother and brought her back to NYC.
Peter was very successful and had food consensions at a couple of Westchester golf courses before the 1929 crash. He ended up the rest of his life owning luncheons over the various years until his passing in 1980’s.
Grandma stella work with him her whole life. The last luncheonet they owned was on 24 street east side between 2nd and 3rd avenue near Belvue Hospital. They must be some record because a couple of the doctors/scientists who worked at Belvue were contacted on there lunch break at the hospital when they were notified they recieved the Nobel Prize for Medicine. I know of 5 people but there could have been more.
I worked summer times there as a teenager.
In 1981 or 82 the building was torn down by Belvue Hospital and by law then, they were to reloated his business, but because of his age they did not do it. It broke Papiou’s heart because he wanted to work there until his death. He did die within a year of having no work at 86.
I’m sorry there is no paper trail. Everything was word to word hand me down history and at my age I have forgot way more than I can remember.
Yiaya was a joy to the world. At her funeral they were over 500 people there, from all walks of life, Greek relatives, Jewish doctor friends, hispanic neighbors, etc. A real UN of people. Even some of the street gang member gave respects because she was the only senior citizen who was never mugged in the neighborhood. She use to make them greek powdered cookies which they ate hanging in front of the building. To say she was a joy to the world is an understatement.
If you have any gquestions feel free to email me, I will try to answer any thing else I can.
Give regards to you parents from me.
Nicholas Pall
Grandson
It was great to see my last name listed, Pavlounis, in the village my father was born in. I haven’t been to Anavriti since 1972 and plan on visiting there again within the next 2 years. Thank you for creating this post.
i was delighted to see several of my family’s names: Karounos, Kalamaras, Chrisomalis. Thank you so much, Carol!
Evanthea K
Thank you so much for this information. My family’s names are Kosteas and Moundroukas (although it’s on the list as Moundroukos). Great-grandparents were Korinis, Asimakopoulos. We have relatives named Karounos, Kalamaras, Plevrites, Ladis, Roumeliotis, and more I’m sure. Quite a few relatives apparently from Anavriti. lol
Thank you so much! My family was Katsichtes which was changed to Katchihtes when they came to America. I also have second and third cousins whose last name is still Korinis. Will definitely send an email and see if I can get access to any records.
I accidentally came across this website. My name is Georgia Katchihtes. My father, Constantine/Gus and his family lived in Brooklyn, NY, 1900’s. I know they were related to Korines too. One day i plan to go to Greece and have now discovered possible roots in Anavryti, which makes me very happy.
Our Brooklyn families would have known each other! The Katsichtis family is from Anavryti and neighboring villages around Sparta. Thank you for writing
Georgia:
Welcome to the great Spartan Roots site as created by our learned moderator. My Paternal Grand-Mother was a Katsihtis (sp?) (Theodoros, was her Father’s name). She married my Grandfather, Spiros Kalamaras, in Anavryti in the late 1920’s. Spiros had been traveling to and from the NY/NJ area since the early 1900’s. They ultimately settled in Brooklyn in the mid-1940’s with my father, George Kalamaras.
As I understand things, there are two Katsihtis clans from Anavryti, as we are directly related to one, yet not the other.
Demetrius G. Kalamaras
Staten Island, NY
(Just across the bridge from Brooklyn)
Hi Andrew, My goodness, I know all of the names that you have listed! Those families are predominantly in Anavryti but also settled in villages around Sparta. We would have a connection through marriages somewhere, for sure! Thank you for writing 🙂
My children are descendants of the Katsihtis family . Their grandfather, Christos, was born in the village and their father Sarantos, was there during the German occupation . My sons daughter lives in England now but is taking Greek lessons to continue their connection with beautiful Greece .
My email address is sherratt.connolly@googlemail.com
I would be happy for you to contact me
I stumbled on this page for the first time in a while and am glad to see it still up. I would love to know anything more that there is to know about the Katsichtis family when they were still in Greece. The earliest people in my family tree that I know is Constantine Katsichtes who was born in Anavryti. Please let me know if there is a way to get more information!
Hi Andrew,
Thanks for your email and I am happy to say that there are more records online for Lakonia than any other area in Greece!
Check out GreekAncestry.net (search, Lakonia) or the MyHeritage collections (especially the Voter Lists/Male Registers).
Later this year, the village church books that I digitized in 2019 will be online at MyHeritage.
Also… you can send an email to the Sparta Archives and ask for information about your family. Send the first name, surname and approx birth age of Constantinos Katsichtis, and they will respond. The staff speak English so no need to translate the email, and I know everyone there so please tell them I referred you: mail@gak.lak.sch.gr
Good luck, and I’d love to know what you find so please keep in touch!
I accidentally came across this website. My name is Georgia Katchihtes. My father, Constantine/Gus and his family lived in Brooklyn, NY, 1900’s. I know they were related to Korines too. One day i plan to go to Greece and have now discovered possible roots in Anavryti, which makes me very happy.
Hi Georgia, Thank you for sharing this information. Yes, your family is definitely from Anavryti. I have records from the village. Please let me know if you would like me to share information with you 🙂