# Γκλιάπης, Μπίγαλης and Μπινιάρης



## CarlitosMS

Hello everybody

I heard once on TV the surnames Γκλιάπης Μπίγαλης and Μπινιάρης and I don't know where does it come from, possibly from Turkish.
If I wrote them wrong, don't hesitate correcting me.

Kind regards


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## shawnee

Possibly:
Γκλιάτης > Alb. glat = friend.
Μπίγαλης, possibly > mpikas > Slav. bik = bull.
Μπινιάρης ...... ?

For further consideration:
Looking up the Turkish dictionary:
bin = 1,000, and
bina= tower and other tall structiures, vis a vis a tall person.


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## artion

Μπινιάρης means twin (δίδυμος), from the Latin _binus_ (double) > engl. _binary_ etc. 

I suspect the same bi- gives the Μπίγαλης but I don't know the meaning.


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## orthophron

Hi!
Μπινιάρης sounds Italian (Bignari).
Γκλιάπης? I haven't heard such surname. If Λιάπης, then it is Arvanitic.
Μπίγαλης? All I know is that the surname Bigal can be found in Italy, France and who knows where else...


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## CarlitosMS

orthophron said:


> Hi!
> Μπινιάρης sounds Italian (Bignari).
> Γκλιάπης? I haven't heard such surname. If Λιάπης, then it is Arvanitic.
> Μπίγαλης? All I know is that the surname Bigal can be found in Italy, France and who knows where else...



Γκλιάπης: is a confusion between Γκλιάτης and Λιάπης.
Μπίγαλης: I don't think that surname is Italian, Kostas Bigalis stated himself in an interview that his family comes from Asia Minor.


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## orthophron

Ok. If it is Γκλιάτης, then it seems to be also Arvanitic (meaning long, see here: Arvanitic names). And, as I hear, bigali is a village near Gallipoli (Asia Minor).


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## artion

orthophron said:


> see here: Arvanitic names).


 
Careful. This is a highly ureliable source displaying names born by assumed "arvanites" (bilingual albanian-greek speakers of Greece). It doesn't say  that the names are of albanian origin. This is obvious, as it includes common biblical names like Barlamis (from Barlaam), Adamis (fr. Adam), and many Greek names like Kyriakis, Kanakis, Meletis etc.  
Most names that are hastily classified as of "arvanitic" origin, are in fact latin, existing in the Balkans since the Roman and Byzantine period or adopted after the Crusades and the Venezian occupation.


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## orthophron

Thanks artion.


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