Vranas

Vranas or Branas (Greek: Βρανάς, Latin: Vranas or Vranus), in feminine form Vranaina or Branaina, is a surname attested from the Byzantine and post-Byzantine period, still used in Greece and other Balkan countries.

In the Byzantine period the family of Vranas became notable from the 11th century till the end of the Empire. According to some historians the family was of Slavonic descent, but according to others of Greek origin.

Notable people in history with this surname include the following:

• Marianos Vranas, general-rebel against Emperor Basil II and Protospatharios under Emperor Constantine IX Monomachos (11th century).
• Michael Vranas Byzantine general under emperor Manuel I Komnenos (12th century).
• Alexios Branas, son of Michael, who decisively defeated the Normans at the Battle of Demetritzes, near Serres, in 1185.
• Theodore Branas son of Alexios, Byzantine archon, then Lord of Adrianople and Caesar in the service of the Latin Empire of Constantinople, and also the third husband of empress Anna/Agnes of Francia.
• Georgios Vranas, Byzantine general under emperor Manuel I Komnenos (12th century). Participated in the Byzantine wars against the Hungarians (1164–1168).
• Demetrios Vranas, Byzantine admiral and army officer, brother of Georgios Vranas (12th century). He was injured and captured during the Hungarian wars (1164–1168).
• Nikolaos Vranas, Byzantine general of the 11th century, mentioned by Anna Komnene in the Alexiad.
• Ioannes Vranas, Byzantine general under emperor Andronikos I Komnenos (12th century).
• Vranas or Vranillos or Brana Conte or Hamza (?-1463), Balkan army officer under sultan Murad II. Son of Stanisha Castrioti, was converted to Islam with the name "Hamza". In 1443 after the battle of Niš fled with George Kastrioti-Skanderbeg to the united Christian army and converted to Christianity taking the name "Vranas".
• Georgios Vranas, Athenian bishop of the 15th century, member of the famous Byzantine House of Vranas. He became Bishop of Dromore and later Bishop of Elphin in Ireland.
• Cortesios Vranas, Greek Unitan priest and author of the 16th century. He authored De Graecae et Latinae missae consensu (1603) and four epigrams to Alessandro Farnese (cardinal).
• Lamprinos Vranas, (? - 1905), he fought in the Macedonian struggle during the last years of the Ottoman Empire, against the Bulgarians.

The name is also common in modern Greece. Notable contemporary persons bearing this surname include:

• Andreas Vranas (1870–1935), painter
• Sperantza Vrana (1926 or 1932–2009), actress
• Russos Vranas, author and journalist.
• Giorgos Vranas, Cretan folk musician.
• Charles Branas, American epidemiologist

In the village of Pappados, Lesvos, there is the Museum - Olive Press Vranas, established in 1887 by Vranas Nikolaou, which has been bought over by the "Archipelagos" company, restored and it currently operates as a museum of olive oil processing.

There are many derivatives of the name produced by various prefixes and suffixes, such as Vranakis, Vranopoulos, Papavranas etc. in Greek and Vranic, Vranof etc. in Slavonic languages. Notable Greek persons with derivatives of the name Vranas are:

• Dimitrios Vranopoulos (1900–1980), member of the Greek Parliament and Minister
• Leandros Vranousis (1921–1993) philologist and historian specializing in the history of Epirus, author of many history books and articles, member of the Academy of Athens
• Epameinondas Vranopoulos, 20th-century historian, archaeologist and teacher of history, author of history books.