Karajan (surname) explained

Karajan, or Caragiani, Caraiannis, Karagianni, Karayiannis, Karagianis, is a Greek surname. This last name, like several other Ottoman-era ones, contains the Turkish language prefix 'kara' in reference to someone's dark complexion.

Notable persons with that surname include:

• Eftychia Karagianni, Greek water polo player
• Georgios Karayiannis, Greek Army officer
• Herbert von Karajan (1908–1989), Austrian conductor, great-grandson of Theodor von Karajan
• Ioan D. Caragiani, Romanian folklorist
• Martha Karagianni, Greek actress
• Maurine Karagianis, Canadian politician
• Pete Karagianis, American chess player
• Vaios Karagiannis (born 1968), Greek football player
• Peter Karrie, (Full name Peter Karagianis), Welsh Singer & TV show host