Karas
A surname with several possible roots, most often linked to Slavic or Greek words for “crow,” “black,” or related nickname forms.
The #5,890 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 52,705 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Karas is a surname found in several European naming traditions, so it does not have one single certain origin. In Slavic languages it may be related to nickname forms from words associated with a crow or dark coloring, or to short forms built from older personal names. In Greek and some other eastern European contexts, it can also be linked to words or forms that overlap with fish names or local nicknames, which makes the surname’s exact source depend on the family line.
History
The surname appears in parts of Central and Eastern Europe and was carried to North America by immigrants from those regions. Because similar spellings occur in more than one language family, modern bearers may have unrelated ancestral origins. In the United States it is uncommon but recognizable, and the spelling has generally remained stable.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because the same spelling can arise in different languages, two families named Karas may not share the same original meaning at all.