View source for Greek Cypriots

{{short description|Ethnic group}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox ethnic group
| group            = Greek Cypriots<br /> Ελληνοκύπριοι
| native_name_lang = el
| image            = 
| total            = {{circa}} 1.2 million<ref name="2011Cypriotcensus">{{cite web|title=Population – Country of Birth, Citizenship Category, Country of Citizenship, Language, Religion, Ethnic/Religious Group, 2011|url=http://www.cystat.gov.cy/mof/cystat/statistics.nsf/populationcondition_22main_en/populationcondition_22main_en?OpenForm&sub=2&sel=2|publisher=Statistical Service of the Republic of Cyprus|access-date=26 April 2016|archive-date=12 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612211105/http://www.cystat.gov.cy/mof/cystat/statistics.nsf/populationcondition_22main_en/populationcondition_22main_en?OpenForm&sub=2&sel=2}}</ref><ref name="Cole 2011 loc=92" />
| popplace         = [[Cyprus]] 737,196 (2023 census){{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}<br />≈500,000 in [[Greek Cypriot diaspora|diaspora]] (2011 estimate)<ref name="Cole 2011 loc=92">{{citation |last=Papadakis|first=Yiannis|year=2011|chapter=Cypriots, Greek|editor-last=Cole|editor-first=Jeffrey E.|editor-link=Jeffrey Cole|title=Ethnic Groups of Europe: An Encyclopedia|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-59884-302-6|page=92|quote=The population of Greek Cypriots currently living in Cyprus is around 650,000. In addition, it is estimated that up to 500,000 Greek Cypriots live outside Cyprus, the major concentrations being in the United Kingdom (270,000), Australia, South Africa, Greece, and the United States.}}</ref>
| region1          = [[United Kingdom]]
| pop1             = 270,000
| region2          = [[Australia]], [[South Africa]], [[Greece]], [[United States]], [[Germany]] and others
| pop2             = ≈230,000
| langs            = [[Modern Greek]] ([[Cypriot Greek|Cypriot]] and [[Varieties of Modern Greek#Standard Modern Greek|Standard]])
| rels             = [[Christianity]]<br />([[Greek Orthodox Church|Greek Orthodox]])
| native_name      = 
| related_groups   = Other [[Greeks|Greek]] subgroups
}}
{{Greeks}}
'''Greek Cypriots''' ({{langx|el|Ελληνοκύπριοι|Ellinokýprioi}}) are the ethnic [[Greeks|Greek]] population of [[Cyprus]],<ref name="Constitution">{{cite web|url=http://www.cyprus.gov.cy/portal/portal.nsf/0/302578ad62e1ea3ac2256fd5003b61d4?OpenDocument&ExpandSection=1,2,3,4,5|title=The Constitution – Appendix D: Part 01 – General Provisions|work=[[Constitution of Cyprus]]|publisher=Republic of Cyprus|access-date=9 February 2010|archive-date=28 July 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120728215805/www.cyprus.gov.cy/portal/portal.nsf/0/302578ad62e1ea3ac2256fd5003b61d4?OpenDocument&ExpandSection=1,2,3,4,5}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cyprus.gov.cy/portal/portal.nsf/All/DE020800C01914BBC2257028003FBCBD?OpenDocument|title=About Cyprus – History – Modern Times|work=Government Web Portal – Areas of Interest|publisher=[[Government of Cyprus]]|access-date=19 January 2010|archive-date=24 May 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120524174834/www.cyprus.gov.cy/portal/portal.nsf/All/DE020800C01914BBC2257028003FBCBD?OpenDocument}}</ref><ref name="Congress">{{cite web|url=http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/cytoc.html|title=A Country Study: Cyprus|last=Solsten|first=Eric|date=January 1991|work=[[Federal Research Division]]|publisher=[[Library of Congress]]|access-date=9 February 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://cnewa.org/ecc-bodypg-us.aspx?eccpageID=22&indexview=toc|title=The Orthodox Church of Cyprus|publisher=[[Catholic Near East Welfare Association]]|access-date=19 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091203184148/http://www.cnewa.org/ecc-bodypg-us.aspx?eccpageID=22&IndexView=toc|archive-date=3 December 2009}}</ref> forming the island's largest [[Ethnolinguistic group|ethnolinguistic]] community. According to the 2023 census, 719,252 respondents recorded their ethnicity as Greek, forming almost 99% of the 737,196 Cypriot citizens and over 77.9% of the 923,381 total residents of the area controlled by the Republic of Cyprus.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}} These figures do not include the 29,321 citizens of [[Greece]] residing in Cyprus, ethnic Greeks recorded as citizens of other countries, or the population of illegally occupied [[Northern Cyprus]].

The majority of Greek Cypriots are members of the [[Church of Cyprus]], an [[autocephaly|autocephalous]] [[Greek Orthodox Church]] within the wider communion of [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox Christianity]].<ref name="Congress" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cyprus.gov.cy/portal/portal.nsf/All/817E9279C04E4480C2257023002B858C?OpenDocument|title=About Cyprus – Towns and Population|work=Government Web Portal – Areas of Interest|publisher=[[Government of Cyprus]]|access-date=19 January 2010|archive-date=25 February 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225142919/http://www.cyprus.gov.cy/portal/portal.nsf/All/817E9279C04E4480C2257023002B858C?OpenDocument}}</ref> In regard to the 1960 [[Constitution of Cyprus]], the term also includes [[Maronite Cypriots|Maronites]], [[Armenians in Cyprus|Armenians]], and [[Catholic Church in Cyprus|Catholics]] of the [[Latin Church]] ("Latins"), who were given the option of being included in either the Greek or [[Turkish Cypriots|Turkish]] communities and voted to join the former due to a shared religion.

==History==
{{see also|History of Cyprus}}

===Ancient Cyprus===
{{see also|Ancient history of Cyprus}}
[[File:Evagoras-Stater 733597 C.jpg|thumb|King [[Evagoras I]] of [[Salamis, Cyprus]]]]
Cyprus was part of the [[Mycenaean Greece|Mycenaean civilization]] with local production of Mycenaean vases dating to the [[Late Helladic III]] (1400–1050 BC). The quantity of this pottery concludes that there were numerous Mycenaean settlers, if not settlements, on the island.<ref name="Desborough2007">{{cite book|author=V. R. d'A. Desborough|title=The Last Mycenaeans and Their Successors: An Archaeological Survey, c.1200 – c.1000 B.C.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HO5JAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA196|date=5 February 2007|publisher=Wipf & Stock Publ|isbn=978-1-55635-201-0|pages=196–}}</ref> Archaeological evidence shows that Greek settlement began unsystematically in c. 1400 BC, then steadied (possibly due to Dorian invaders on the mainland) with definite settlements established in c. 1200 BC.<ref name="Hill2010">{{cite book|first=George |last=Hill|title=A History of Cyprus|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jYxi-PQiDL8C&pg=PA84|date=23 September 2010|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-108-02062-6|pages=84–}}</ref> The close connection between the [[Arcadocypriot Greek|Arcadian dialect]] and those of [[Pamphylia]] and Cyprus indicates that the migration came from [[Achaea (ancient region)|Achaea]].{{sfn|Hill|2010|p=85}} The [[Achaeans (tribe)|Achaean tribe]] may have been an original population of the Peloponnese, Pamphylia, and Cyprus, living in the latter prior to the [[Dorian invasion]], and not a subsequent immigrant group; the Doric elements in Arcadian are lacking in Cypriot.{{sfn|Hill|2010|p=85}} Achaeans settled among the old population, and founded [[Salamis, Cyprus|Salamis]].{{sfn|Hill|2010|pp=85–86}} The epic ''[[Cypria]]'', dating to the 7th century BC, may have originated in Cyprus.{{sfn|Hill|2010|pp=90–93}}

===Medieval Cyprus===
{{see also|Cyprus in the Middle Ages}}
[[File:Helena Palaiologina and daughters.jpg|thumb|upright=0.7|Byzantine princess [[Helena Palaiologina]], [[List of Cypriot royal consorts|Queen consort of Cyprus]]]]
The Byzantine era profoundly molded Greek Cypriot culture. The institution of Greek Orthodox Christianity soon became an integral part of Greek Cypriot identity during this period, and its legacy persisted under foreign domination throughout the succeeding centuries. Since Cyprus was never the "final goal" of any external ambitions – insofar as destroying its civilisation and citizenry did not become a military objective, or necessity – the island simply fell under the dominion of whichever power controlled the Eastern [[Mediterranean]] region at the time.

Greek Cypriots did, however, endure oppressive rule under both the [[Lusignan dynasty|Lusignans]] and successive [[Venetian Republic]], from the 1190s to 1570. King [[Aimery of Cyprus|Aimery]] – whom succeeded his brother, [[Guy of Lusignan]], in 1194 – was known for being particularly intolerant of the Orthodox Church, and saw Greek Cypriot land appropriated for use by newly-established Latin churches in major towns on the island. In addition, oppressive taxation was imposed upon locals by occupying forces, with tax collection conducted, by proxy, under administration of the Latin churches.

===Ottoman Cyprus===
{{see also|Ottoman Cyprus}}
[[File:2022 03 Hala Sultan Tekke 1.jpg|thumb|The [[Hala Sultan Tekke]] mosque, built in 1817, was one of many landmarks constructed by the Ottoman Turks in Cyprus.]]
The [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] conquest of Cyprus in 1571 replaced Venetian rule. Despite the inherent oppression of foreign subjugation, the period of [[Cyprus under the Ottoman Empire|Ottoman rule]] (1570–1878) had a limited impact on Greek Cypriot culture. The Ottomans tended to administer their multicultural empire with the help of their subject ''[[Millet (Ottoman Empire)|millets]]'', or religious communities. The ''millet'' system allowed the Greek Cypriot community to survive,{{Citation needed|date=April 2020}} administered on behalf of [[Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople|Constantinople]] by the [[List of archbishops of Cyprus|Archbishop]] of the Church of Cyprus. Cypriot Greeks were now able to take control of the land they had been working on for centuries.{{Citation needed|date=April 2020}} Although religiously tolerant, Ottoman rule was generally harsh and inefficient. The [[Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople|patriarch]] serving the Ottoman [[List of sultans of the Ottoman Empire|sultan]] acted as ''[[ethnarch]]'', or leader of the Greek nation, and gained secular powers as a result of the gradual dysfunction of Ottoman rule, for instance in adjudicating justice and in the collection of taxes. [[Turkish people|Turkish]] settlers suffered alongside their Greek Cypriot neighbors, and the two groups together endured centuries of oppressive governance from [[Constantinople]].{{Citation needed|date=April 2020}} A minority of Greek Cypriots converted to [[Islam in Cyprus|Islam]] during this period, and are sometimes referred to as "neo-Muslims" by historians.<ref>Peter Alford Andrews, ''Ethnic Groups in the Republic of Turkey'', Dr. Ludwig Reichert Verlag, 1989, {{ISBN|3-89500-297-6}}</ref><ref>Savile, Albany Robert, ''Cyprus'', 1878, p.&nbsp;130</ref>

===Modern history===
{{see also|Cyprus conflict}}
[[Image:Statue of Liberty Independence Woman statues Nicosia Republic of Cyprus.jpg|thumb|The Cypriot [[Liberty Monument (Nicosia)|Statue of Liberty]]]]
Politically, the concept of ''[[enosis]]'' – unification with the Greek "motherland" – became important to literate Greek Cypriots after [[Greece]] declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1821. A movement for the realization of ''enosis'' gradually formed, in which the Church of Cyprus played a dominant role during the [[Cyprus dispute]].

{{Quote box
|quote =
"Hellenism is a race as aged as the world,
<br />Nobody could be found to eliminate it,
<br />Nobody, for it is protected from above by my God,
<br />Hellenism will be lost, only when the world is gone."
|source = {{small|Archbishop Kyprianos' fictional response to Kucuk Mehmet's threat to execute the Greek Orthodox Christian bishops of Cyprus, in [[Vasilis Michaelides]]' epic poem "The 9th of July of 1821 in Nicosia, Cyprus", written in 1884–1895. The poem is considered a key literary expression of Greek Cypriot Enosis sentiment.}}<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.apotipomata.com/ennati-iouliou-vasilis-michaelidis/ |title=Η 9η Ιουλίου του 1821 εν Λευκωσία Κύπρου – Βασίλης Μιχαηλίδης |website=ςww.apotipomata.com|date=9 July 2017 |access-date=2018-10-14 |author1=Admin }}</ref>
|width = 24em
}}

During the period of [[British Cyprus|British colonial rule]] (1878–1960), an efficient colonial administration was established, but government and education were administered along ethnic lines, accentuating differences. For example, the education system was organized with two Boards of Education, one Greek and one Turkish, controlled by [[Athens]] and [[Istanbul]], respectively. {{Citation needed|date=July 2009}} The resulting Greco-Turkish educational systems emphasized linguistic, religious, cultural, and ethnic differences and downplayed traditional ties between the two Cypriot communities. {{Citation needed|date=July 2009}} The two groups were encouraged to view themselves as extensions of their respective motherlands, leading to the development of two distinct nationalities with antagonistic loyalties.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Xypolia |first=Ilia |title=Cypriot Muslims among Ottomans, Turks and Two World Wars |journal=Bogazici Journal |year=2011 |volume=25 |issue=2 |pages=109–120 |doi=10.21773/boun.25.2.6 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

The importance of religion within the Greek Cypriot community was reinforced when the Archbishop of the Church of Cyprus, [[Makarios&nbsp;III]], was elected the first president of the Republic of Cyprus in 1960. For the next decade and a half, ''enosis'' was a key issue for Greek Cypriots, and a key cause of events leading up to the [[1974 Cypriot coup d'état|1974 coup]], which prompted the [[Turkish invasion of Cyprus|Turkish invasion and occupation]] of the northern part of the island. Cyprus remains divided today, with the two communities almost completely separated. Many of those whom lost their homes, lands and possessions during the Turkish invasion, emigrated mainly to the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, South Africa and Europe, although most left Cyprus before 1974. There are today estimated to be 335,000 [[Greek Cypriot diaspora|Greek Cypriot emigrants]] living in Great Britain. The majority of the Greek Cypriots in [[Great Britain]] currently live in [[England]]; there is an estimate of around 3,000 in [[Wales]] and 1,000 in [[Scotland]].
By the early 1990s, Greek Cypriot society enjoyed a high standard of living. Economic modernization created a more flexible and open society and caused Greek Cypriots to share the concerns and hopes of other secularized West European societies. The Republic of Cyprus joined the [[European Union]] in 2004, officially representing the entire island, but suspended for the time being in Turkish-occupied [[northern Cyprus]].

==Population==
{{see also|Demographics of Cyprus}}
[[File:Cyprus.jpg|thumb|180px|1970 vs. 1998: Greeks are blue, and Turks are red]]
Greeks in Cyprus number 659,115, according to the 2011 Cypriot census.<ref name="2011Cypriotcensus"/> There is a notable community of Cypriots and people of Cypriot descent in Greece. In Athens, the Greek Cypriot community numbers ca. 55,000 people.{{sfn|Madianou|2012|p=41}} There is also a large Greek Cypriot diaspora, particularly in the [[United Kingdom]].

===Diaspora===
 {{Main|Greek Cypriot diaspora}}

==Culture==

===Cuisine===
{{main|Cypriot cuisine}}
[[File:Vin et gastronomie chypriotes.jpg|thumb|left|Cypriot meze]]
[[Cypriot cuisine]], as with other [[Greek cuisine]], was imprinted with the spices and herbs made common as a result of extensive trade links within the Ottoman Empire. Names of many dishes came to reflect the sources of the ingredients from the many lands . Coffee houses pervasively spread throughout the island into all major towns and countless villages.

===Language===
{{Main|Cypriot Greek }}
The everyday language of Greek Cypriots is [[Cypriot Greek]], a dialect of [[Modern Greek]]. It shares certain characteristics with varieties of [[Crete]], [[the Dodecanese]] and [[Chios]], as well as those of [[Asia Minor]].

Greek Cypriots are generally educated in Standard Modern Greek, though they tend to speak it with an accent and preserve some Greek Cypriot grammar.

== Genetic studies ==
{{further|Genetic history of the Middle East|Genetic history of Europe}}
{{see also|Turkish Cypriots#Genetic studies|Greeks#Genetics}}
[[Image:- panoramio (4017).jpg|thumb|Cypriot [[Scout (Scouting)|Boy Scouts]]]]
A 2017 study, found that Cypriots belong to a wide and homogeneous genetic domain, along with the people of the [[Aegean Islands]] (including [[Crete]]), [[Sicily]], and southern Italy (including the [[Griko people|Greek-speaking minorities]] of Apulia and Calabria), while the continental part of Greece, including Peloponnesus, appears as slightly differentiated, by clustering with the other Southern Balkan populations of Albania and Kosovo. The study calls this distinct genetic domain, the "Mediterranean genetic continuum".<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Sarno|first1=Stefania|last2=Boattini|first2=Alessio|last3=Pagani|first3=Luca|last4=Sazzini|first4=Marco|last5=De Fanti|first5=Sara|last6=Quagliariello|first6=Andrea|last7=Gnecchi Ruscone|first7=Guido Alberto|last8=Guichard|first8=Etienne|last9=Ciani|first9=Graziella|last10=Bortolini|first10=Eugenio|last11=Barbieri|first11=Chiara|last12=Cilli|first12=Elisabetta|last13=Petrilli|first13=Rosalba|last14=Mikerezi|first14=Ilia|last15=Sineo|first15=Luca|last16=Vilar|first16=Miguel|last17=Wells|first17=Spencer|last18=Luiselli|first18=Donata|last19=Pettener|first19=Davide|date=16 May 2017|title=Ancient and recent admixture layers in Sicily and Southern Italy trace multiple migration routes along the Mediterranean|journal=[[Scientific Reports]]|volume=7|issue=1|page=1984|doi=10.1038/s41598-017-01802-4|issn=2045-2322|pmc=5434004|pmid=28512355|bibcode=2017NatSR...7.1984S}}</ref>

A 2017 [[archaeogenetics]] study, concluded that both the Mycenaean Greeks and the [[Minoan civilization|Minoans]] were genetically closely related, and that both are closely related, but not identical, to modern Greek populations. The [[Fixation index|F<sub>ST</sub>]] between the sampled Bronze Age populations and present-day West Eurasians was estimated, finding that Mycenaeans are least differentiated from the populations of Greece, Cyprus, Albania, and Italy.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Lazaridis |first1=Iosif |last2=Mittnik |first2=Alissa |last3=Patterson |first3=Nick |last4=Mallick |first4=Swapan |last5=Rohland |first5=Nadin |last6=Pfrengle |first6=Saskia |last7=Furtwängler |first7=Anja |last8=Peltzer |first8=Alexander |last9=Posth |first9=Cosimo |last10=Vasilakis |first10=Andonis |last11=McGeorge |first11=P. J. P. |last12=Konsolaki-Yannopoulou |first12=Eleni |last13=Korres |first13=George |last14=Martlew |first14=Holley |last15=Michalodimitrakis |first15=Manolis |date=2 August 2017 |title=Genetic origins of the Minoans and Mycenaeans |journal=[[Nature (journal)|Nature]] |publication-date=10 August 2017 |volume=548 |issue=7666 |pages=214–218 |bibcode=2017Natur.548..214L |doi=10.1038/nature23310 |issn=0028-0836 |pmc=5565772 |pmid=28783727 |first32=David |last29=Stewardson |first29=Kristin |last30=Stockhammer |first30=Philipp |last31=Pinhasi |first31=Ron |last32=Reich |first34=George |last33=Krause |first33=Johannes |last34=Stamatoyannopoulos |last28=Stamatoyannopoulos |first28=John A. |first27=Yannis |first20=Songül Alpaslan |last16=Özsait |first16=Mehmet |last17=Özsait |first17=Nesrin |last18=Papathanasiou |first18=Anastasia |last19=Richards |first19=Michael |last20=Roodenberg |last27=Maniatis |first21=Yannis |last22=Arnott |first22=Robert |last23=Fernandes |first23=Daniel M. |last24=Hughey |first24=Jeffery R. |last25=Lotakis |first25=Dimitra M. |last26=Navas |first26=Patrick A. |last21=Tzedakis}}</ref>

A 2017 study, found that both Greek Cypriots' and [[Turkish Cypriots|Turkish Cypriots']] [[Human Y-chromosome DNA haplogroup|patrilineal ancestry]] derives primarily from a single pre-Ottoman local gene pool. The frequency of total haplotypes shared{{efn|Shared haplotype % represents the proportion of individuals among Greek Cypriots (344 samples) and Turkish Cypriots (380 samples) having an exact 17/17 Y-STR haplotype match in the specified populations.}} between Greek and Turkish Cypriots is 7-8%, with analysis showing that none of these being found in Turkey, thus not supporting a Turkish origin for the shared haplotypes. No shared haplotypes were observed between Greek Cypriots and mainland Turkish populations, while total haplotypes shared between Turkish Cypriots and mainland Turks was 3%. Both Cypriot groups show close genetic affinity to [[Calabria]]n (southern Italy) and [[Lebanese people|Lebanese]] patrilineages. The study states that the genetic affinity between Calabrians and Cypriots can be explained as a result of a common ancient Greek ([[Achaeans (tribe)|Achaean]]) genetic contribution, while Lebanese affinity can be explained through several migrations that took place from coastal Levant to Cyprus from the Neolithic (early farmers), the Iron Age (Phoenicians), and the Middle Ages (Maronites and other Levantine settlers during the Frankish era). The authors note however that the Calabrian samples used in the analysis were relatively small (n = 30 comparative dataset, n = 74 YHRD) and thus these results should be interpreted with caution. Furthermore, from the Greek sub-populations, Cretan Greeks were found to be the closest to Cypriots. In terms of Rst pairwise genetic differences, which indicate deeper shared paternal ancestry than shared haplotypes, Greeks appear genetically close to Cypriots, and equidistant from Greek and Turkish Cypriots. Both Greek and Turkish Cypriots have similar frequencies for their major patrilineal haplogroups, with the main subclades for both being J2a-M410 (23.8% and 20.3% resp.), E-M78 (12.8% and 13.9% resp.) and G2-P287 (12.5% and 13.7% resp.). The biggest differentiating characteristic between Greek Cypriots and mainland Greeks is the low frequency of haplogroups I, R1a among Greek Cypriots because the mainland Greek population has received considerable migrations during the Byzantine era and the Middle Ages from other Balkanic populations, such as Slavs, Aromanians (Vlachs), and Albanians (Arvanites), while the biggest differentiating characteristic between Greek Cypriots and Middle Easterners is the much lower frequency of haplogroup J1 among the Greek Cypriots. Greek Cypriots are also differentiated by Turkish Cypriots in some aspects; namely Turkish Cypriots have 5.6% Eastern Eurasian (likely Central Asian/Turkic) and 2.1% North African patrilineal ancestry, while Greek Cypriots have 0.6% Eastern Eurasian and no North African patrilineal ancestry.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Heraclides|first1=Alexandros|last2=Bashiardes|first2=Evy|last3=Fernández-Domínguez|first3=Eva|last4=Bertoncini|first4=Stefania|last5=Chimonas|first5=Marios|last6=Christofi|first6=Vasilis|last7=King|first7=Jonathan|last8=Budowle|first8=Bruce|last9=Manoli|first9=Panayiotis|last10=Cariolou|first10=Marios A.|date=16 June 2017|title=Y-chromosomal analysis of Greek Cypriots reveals a primarily common pre-Ottoman paternal ancestry with Turkish Cypriots|journal=[[PLOS One]]|volume=12|issue=6|article-number=e0179474|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0179474|issn=1932-6203|pmc=5473566|pmid=28622394|bibcode=2017PLoSO..1279474H|doi-access=free}}</ref>

==Notable people==
 {{see also|List of Cypriots}}[[File:Ioannis Kigalas (1622-1687) Cyprus.jpg|thumb|160px|[[Ioannis Kigalas]] (1622–1687), [[Nicosia]]n-born scholar and professor of Philosophy who was largely active in Padova and Venice.]]
[[File:Makarios III and Robert F. Wagner NYWTS cropped.jpg|thumb|160px|[[Makarios III]]]]
[[File:Spyros Kyprianou 1981 crop.jpg|thumb|220px|[[Spyros Kyprianou]], President of Cyprus]]
[[File:Christopher Pissarides Wiki MR2013.jpg|thumb|160px|[[Christopher A. Pissarides]]]]

===Ancient===
*[[Acesas]], [[Salamis, Cyprus|Salaminian]] weaver
*[[Apollodorus (physician)|Apollodorus]], [[Kition|Kitian]] physician
*[[Apollonios of Kition]], 1st century BCE physician of the [[Empiric school]]
* [[Clearchus of Soli]], 4th–3rd century BCE [[Peripatetic school|Peripatetic]] philosopher
*[[Demonax]], 2nd CE [[Cynicism (philosophy)|Cynic]] philosopher
*[[Evagoras I]], king of [[Salamis, Cyprus|Salamis]] 411–374 BCE
*[[Evagoras II]], king of [[Salamis, Cyprus|Salamis]] 361–351 BCE
*[[Nicocles (Paphos)|Nicocles]], king of [[Kouklia|Paphos]]
*[[Nicocles (Salamis)|Nicocles]], king of [[Salamis, Cyprus|Salamis]] 374/3–361 BC
*[[Nikokreon of Cyprus|Nikokreon]], king of Salamis
*[[Onesilus]], king of Salamis 499–497 BC
* [[Paeon of Amathus]], Hellenistic historian
* [[Persaeus]], 3rd century BCE [[Stoicism|Stoic]] philosopher, student of [[Zeno of Citium|Zeno]]
*[[Pnytagoras]], king of [[Salamis, Cyprus|Salamis]]
* [[Stasanor]], 4th century BCE general of [[Alexander the Great]]
*[[Stasinos]], poet, author of the epic poem [[Cypria]]
*[[Syennesis of Cyprus|Synnesis of Cyprus]], 4th century BCE physician
*[[Zeno of Citium]], 3rd century BCE philosopher, founder of the [[Stoicism|Stoic school of philosophy]]
* [[Zeno of Cyprus]], 4th century CE physician

=== Medieval ===

* [[Saint Spyridon]], 4th century Bishop of [[Tremetousia|Trimythous]]
* [[Tychon of Amathus|Saint Tychon]], 4th century Bishop of [[Amathus]]
* [[Theodora (6th century)|Theodora]], 6th century empress of the [[Byzantine Empire|Eastern Roman Empire]]
* [[John the Merciful]], 7th century [[Amathus]]ian [[Patriarch of Alexandria|Patriatch of Alexandria]]
*[[Neophytos of Cyprus]], 13th century monk
* [[Leontios Machairas]], 15th century historian
*[[Georgios Boustronios]], 15th century historian
*[[Thomas Flanginis]], 17th century merchant and founder of the [[Flanginian School]]
* [[Ioannis Kigalas]], 17th century scholar and professor

===Modern===

* [[Alkinoos Ioannidis]], musician, born in Nicosia
* [[Andreas G. Orphanides]], Professor of Archaeology, Rector & Composer
* [[Anna Vissi]], singer, musician, actress born in Larnaca
* [[Anthony Skordi]], actor
* [[Artemas (musician)|Artemas Diamandis]], British-Cypriot singer
* [[Suicideboys|Aristos Petrou]], Cypriot-American rapper, member of the rap duo [[Suicideboys]]
* [[Andrekos Varnava]], Australian-Cypriot historian, writer, and professor at [[Flinders University]]
* [[Cat Stevens]], British-Cypriot singer-songwriter, Greek Cypriot father
* [[Christopher A. Pissarides]], Cypriot economist, Nobel laureate, born in Nicosia
* [[Chris Tsangarides]], Grammy-nominated record producer, sound engineer, and mixer of Greek Cypriot origin
* [[Demetri Catrakilis]], South African rugby union player
* [[George Kallis]], Composer 
* [[George Michael]], English singer-songwriter, Greek Cypriot father 
* [[George Eugeniou]], founder and artistic director of Art Theatre, London 
* [[Georgios Grivas]], military officer 
* [[George Young (actor)|George Young]], Greek Cypriot actor
* [[Grigoris Afxentiou]], guerrilla fighter 
* [[Kypros Nicolaides]], Professor in [[Maternal–fetal medicine|Fetal Medicine]] at [[King's College Hospital]], London
* [[Kyriakos Charalambides]]
* [[Lambros Lambrou (footballer)]] 
* [[Lambros Lambrou (skier)]]
* [[Makarios III]], archbishop and first President of Cyprus 
* [[Marcos Baghdatis]], tennis player
* [[Michael Cacoyannis]], cinema director
* [[Michalis Hatzigiannis]], singer
* [[Mick Karn]], musician
* [[Mihalis Violaris]], singer
* [[Nico Yennaris]]
* [[Panikos Panayi]], British-Cypriot historian, writer, and professor at [[De Montfort University]]
* [[Paul Stassino]]
* [[Petros Serghiou Florides]], [[mathematical physicist]]
* [[Sotiris Moustakas]], actor
* [[Stelios Haji-Ioannou]], entrepreneur
* [[Stass Paraskos]], artist
* [[Stel Pavlou]], English writer, Greek Cypriot father
* [[Theo Paphitis]]
* [[Tio Ellinas]]
* [[Tonia Buxton]]
* [[Vasilis Michaelides]], poet
* [[Vassilis Hatzipanagis]], football player
* [[Roys Poyiadjis]]
* [[Grigoris Kastanos]]
* [[Demis Hassabis]], artificial intelligence researcher, Greek Cypriot father
* [[Jamie Demetriou]], comedian, actor, screenwriter
* [[Natasia Demetriou]], comedian, actor, screenwriter
* [[George Vassiliou]], President of Cyprus from 1988 to 1993
* [[Drew Pavlou]], Australian anti-CCP activist

==See also==
{{Portal|Greece|Cyprus}} 
* [[Cyprus–Greece relations]]
* [[Cypriot Australians]]
* [[Greek Cypriot diaspora]]
* [[Turkish Cypriots]]
* [[Greek Britons]]
* [[List of Cypriots]]
* [[Cappadocian Greeks]]
* [[Greeks in New Zealand]]
* [[Pontic Greeks]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Sources==
*{{cite book|first=Mirca |last=Madianou|title=Mediating the Nation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V5lDaSGNZrkC&pg=PA40|date=12 November 2012|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-136-61105-6|pages=40–}}
* [[Donald Quataert|Quataert, Donald]] ''The Ottoman Empire 1700–1922'' Cambridge University Press {{ISBN|0-521-83910-6}}

==External links==
* [http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/English/Collections/Onlineresources/RWWC/themes/1295/1280 Reassessing what we collect website – Greek Cypriot London] History of Greek Cypriot London with objects and images
* [http://historymedren.about.com/library/text/bltxtcyprus4.htm Cyprus: Historical Setting] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150404151434/http://historymedren.about.com/library/text/bltxtcyprus4.htm |date=4 April 2015 }}

{{Cyprus topics}}
{{Greek diaspora}}
{{Ethnic groups in Cyprus}}
{{Ethnic groups in Greece}}

[[Category:Greek Cypriots| ]]
[[Category:Cyprus–Greece relations]]