Kasapis Surname Meaning

The Greek surname Kasapis (Κασάπης) derives from kasapis (κασάπης), meaning “butcher.” The word entered Greek through Ottoman Turkish kasap, which itself derives from Arabic roots associated with cutting meat. Occupational surnames were extremely common in Greek communities where individuals were identified by their profession. A person whose trade involved slaughtering animals or selling meat would often become known by this term, which later stabilized into a hereditary family name. The masculine ending -is (-ης) preserves the nominative grammatical structure typical of Greek surnames. The surname Kasapis therefore means “the butcher” or “descendant of the butcher,” preserving paternal lineage rooted in a traditional meat-cutting occupation.