The transient nature of rural Spartans in the mid-late 1800s is widely understood. After the Revolution of 1821, people “came down from the mountains” where they had been hiding to start new lives in a more hospitable climate and in a more verdant and productive agricultural area. (This fascinating topic is addressed in this post.) Some immediately found what they were seeking and put down roots. Others may have stayed for a while, then moved on.

Agios Ioannis, Sparta, is blessed with soil and weather that produce bounteous harvests of citrus, olives and vegetables. In the mid-1800s, numerous families who had lived in rustic settlements and small villages high in the Taygetos Mountains moved to the valley below. Many settled in Agios Ioannis.

The 1844 and 1872 Election Registers are among the earliest records created by the modern Greek state. They provides names of men eligible to vote in elections–an important privilege in the newly created country. In the 1840’s, a man had to be age 25 and older to vote; by 1870, the age dropped to 21.

I have entered the names of all men, from both the 1844 and 1872 registers, into the Spartan Roots Family Tree, accessible here. While a majority of those names can be found in later records of Agios Ioannis, almost 90 cannot. What happened to these men? Did they relocate to other villages? Change their names or adopt a nickname (paratsoukli)? Die without descendants?

I have compiled a list of these “one and only” names for two reasons:
1. These men were definitely residents of the village and should be remembered.
2. To learn if any of these names had been altered or modified; if so, what is the current name and does the family still live in Agios Ioannis or a surrounding village? I would so appreciate receiving any information by email about these families.

Voter List	Line#	Surname EN	Name EN	Surname GR	Age
1844	1219	Aivaliotis	N.	Αϊβαλιώτης, Ν.	40
1844	1141	Alexakis	Giannakis	Αλεξάκης, Γιαννάκης	25
1872	2015	Athanasakos	Spyr	Σπυρ Αθανασάκος	67
1872	1677	Balkanas	Aggel	Αγγελ Μπαλκανας	37
1844	1065	Banakos	Geor.	Μπανάκος, Γεωρ.	32
1872	1721	Banopoulos	Geor	Γεωρ Μπανόπουλος	62
1872	1966	Bantavas	Petr	Πέτρ Μπανταβας	57
1844	1095	Basaridakos	Geor.	Μπασαριδάκος, Γεωρ.	30
1844	1244	Batavas	D.	Μπαταβάς, Δ.	46
1872	2021	Bikrakos	Sarant	Σαραντ Μπ?κράκος	57
1844	1256	Bouzantakis	Anas.	Μπουζαντάκης, Ανασ.	30
1872	1806	Brakoulas	Dim	Δημ Μπράκουλας	34
1872	1816	Chantzipetrakos	Emm Tzanetos	Εμμ Χαντζηπετράκος	32
1872	2017	Christou	Spyr	Σπυρ Χρήστου	35
1872	1992	Diakakos	Panos Nikolaos	Πάνος Διακάκος	35
1844	1193	Ekklisiastikos	P.	Εκκλησιαστικός, Π.	70
1844	1258	Feggaras	Io.	Φεγγαράς, Ιω.	58
1844	1217	Fotakos	Kyr.	Φωτάκος, Κυρ.	50
1844	1119	Georgarakos	Str.	Γεωργαράκος, Στρ.	32
1844/1872	1246/1934	Giannias / Giannios	Nikol	Νικολ Γιαννιας	67/45
1872	1750	Giannouris	Geor	Γεωρ Γιαννούρης	28
1872	1839	Glitzos	Theod	Θεοδ Γλιτζός	51
1844	1094	Gourgarakos	Angel.	Γουργαράκος, Αγγελ.	28
1844	1218	Grilitos	D.	Γριλιτός, Δ.	40
1844	1252	Ioannou	Sp.	Ιωάννου, Σπ.	35
1844/1872	1089/1770	Karamitzas	D.	Καραμίτζας,	35/46
1844	1139	Katergarakos	P.	Κατεργαράκος, Π.	26
1844	1259	Kerasiotis	D.	Κερασιώτης, Δ.	27
1844	1255	Koliopoulos	Char.	Κολιόπουλος, Χαρ.	38
1872	1699	Konstantinou	Vasil	Βασιλ Κωνσταντίνου	33
1844	1247	Kontogeorgogamvros	N.	Κοντογεωργόγαμβρος, Ν.	38
1844	1132	Kosmakos	Anag.	Κοσμάκος, Αναγ.	60
1872	1910	Kotstantakos	Konst	Κωνστ Κωτσταντάκος	28
1844	4291	Kourampas	Kyr.	Κουραμπάς, Κυρ.	55
1872	1880	Kourkoulis	Ioan	Ιωαν Κουρκούλης	34
1844	1074	Koutoupis	Chr.	Κουτούπης, Χρ.	38
1844	1063	Krekakos	Kyr.	Κρεκάκος, Κυρ.	35
1844	1116	Kris	Antonios	Κρης, Αντώνιος	25
1872	1946	Lagkas	Nikol Dimitrios	Νικολ Λάγκας	30
1844	1188	Langitzos	Geor.	Λαγγίτζος, Γεωρ.	32
1844	1054	Leonardou	Pan.	Λεωνάρδου, Παν.	53
1872	1701	Liakeas	Vasil Stavros	Βασιλ Λιακέας	47
1844	1159	Limperakos	D.	Λιμπεράκος, Δ.	30
1844	11221	Loumakos	M.	Λουμάκος, Μ.	65
1872	1900	Magkanopoulos	Konst	Κωνστ Μαγκανόπουλος	52
1844	1233	Makrakis	S.	Μακράκης, Σ.	33
1872	1688	Makrakos	Anast	Αναστ Μακράκος	31
1872	1893	Mamis	Kyriak	Κυριακ Μαμης	57
1844	1073	Manolakos	Dim.	Μανολάκος, Δημ.	50
1844	1061	Markakos	Theod.	Μαρκάκος, Θεοδ.	28
1872	1916	Mavrikiotis	Leonidas	Λεωνιδας Μαυρικιωτης	37
1844	1171	Mavrikiotis	P.	Μαυρικιώτης, Π.	28
1844/1872	1101/1863	Miltiadis	Gian./Ioan.	Μιλτιάδης, Γιαν.	38/57
1872	1696	Mytilinaios	Anton	Αντων Μητηλιναιος	47
1872	1731	Mourampas	Geor	Γεωρ Μουραμπας	37
1844	1240	Mylonakos	K.	Μυλωνάκος, Κ.	35
1872	1753	Nanes	Geor	Γεωρ Νανές	25
1872	1884	Nikitopoulos	Ioan	Ιωαν Νικητόπουλος	27
1844/1872	1081/1909	Palestras/Palaistras	Konst	Κωνστ Παλαίστρας	32/56
1872	2035	Pinelis	Christos	Χρηστος Πινελης	47
1844	1226	Poulakos	Anast.	Πουλάκος, Αναστ.	45
1872	1902	Psarakos	Konst	Κωνστ Ψαράκος	42
1844	1113	Ratzous	Ang.	Ρατζους, Αγγ.	32
1872	1757	Rousakis	Geor	Γεωρ Ρουσάκης	35
1872	2024	Sakellariou	Spyr	Σπυρ Σακελλαρίου	57
1872	1898	Sambroulakos	Kalog	Καλογ Σαμπρουλάκος	57
1844	1185	Sgatzikos	Dim.	Σγατζίκος, Δημ.	38
1844	1236	Skouzakos	P.	Σκουζάκος, Π.	36
1872	1970	Sougleris	Panag	Παναγ Σούγλερης	42
1844	1257	Spyliotakis	Σ. A.	Σπυλιωτάκης, Σ. Α.	35
1844	1237	Stathakos OR Stratakos	Kyr.	Σταθάκος, Κυρ.	45
1872	1883	Stathopoulos or Loum.	Io.	Ιω. Σταθόπουλος η Λουμ.	65
1844	1169	Stefanakos	Grigoris	Στεφανάκος, Γλ.	40
1872	1812	Stoatakos or Vasileiou	D.	Δ. Στοατάκος η Βασιλείου	35
1844	1076	Stratigogamvros	Chr.	Στρατηγόγαμβρος, Χρ.	28
1872	1994	Trakogamvros or Sacham	P.	Π. Τρακόγαμβρος η Σαχάμ	32
1844	1241	Tratis	Dim.	Τρατής, Δημ.	56
1844	1211	Triantafylakos	P.	Τριανταφυλάκος, Π.	35
1844	1184	Trimountzos	G.	Τριμούντζος, Γ.	40
1844	1243	Tsagkakis	D.	Τσαγκάκης, Δ.	40
1872	1853	Tzakamankas	Theod	Θεοδ Τζακαμάγκας	36
1844	1138	Valiotis	M.	Βαλιότης, Μ.	50
1844	1118	Varouchas	D.	Βάρουχας, Δ.	55
1872	1892	Vasileiou	Konst	Κωνστ Βασιλείου	37
1844	1148	Vourgarakos	P.	Βουργαράκος, Π.	28
1872	1922	Xilopodis	Michail	Μιχαήλ Ξηλοπόδης	37

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Update: I received some comments about this post:

• Aivaliotis is definitely a name found on Ikaria. If they came down from the mountains it is likely that many travelled further afield.
• Valiotis is a different surname (from Aivaliotis).
• There is another reason why they would have disappeared from the voting register, although the constitution of 1844 was the most liberal in the world regarding voting rights, there were still stipulations regarding ownership of property, or moneys or being in independent employment, so in those difficult times it wouldn’t have been very difficult for someone to “fall off” the qualifying requirements.
• Μanolakos: Last name comes from Gytheio, Lakonias