Romaians

Romaians

Ρωμαῖοι
The national flag of Romaia
Total population
c. 100 million Romaia: 54,240,000
Regions with significant populations
Romaia        54,240,000
Kazovia	88,600 (incl. ancestry)
Svadyetsk	51,200 (incl. ancestry)
Haramoun	5,500 (incl. ancestry)
Languages
Greek and other languages of Romaia
Religion
Primarily Greek Orthodox

The Romaians (Greek: Ρωμαίοι, Romanized: Roméi) are an ethnic group and nation indigenous to the Eastern Mediterranean, namely Romaia and, to a lesser extent, other countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. They also form a significant diaspora (omogenia), with Romaian communities established around the world.

In recent times, most ethnic Romaians live within the borders of the modern Romaia. Today, most Romaians are officially registered as members of the Church of Romaia.

Romaians have greatly influenced and contributed to culture, visual arts, exploration, theatre, literature, philosophy, ethics, politics, architecture, music, mathematics, medicine, science, technology, commerce, cuisine and sports.

Ethnogenesis

Due to historic demographic shifts in the region of Romaia throughout history, its geographical position in the the Mediterranean Sea as well as Romaia's regional ethnic diversity since ancient times, modern Romaians are genetically diverse. The Iron Age tribes of Romaia are pre-Indo-European-speaking peoples and pre-Hellenic Indo-European-speaking peoples, like the Galatoi the Italic and Hellenic people throughout the peninsula and a significant number of Italic people.

Genetics

Genetic studies using multiple autosomal gene markers, Y chromosomal DNA haplogroup analysis and mitochondrial gene markers (mtDNA) show that Romaians share similar backgrounds as the rest of the Eulabians and especially Southern Eulabians. According to the studies using multiple autosomal gene markers, Romaians are some of the earliest contributors of genetic material to the rest of the Eulabians as they are one of the oldest populations in Eulabia. A study in 2008 showed that Eulabians are genetically closest to Italic people.

Physical appearance

A study from 2012 for prediction of hair and eye colour from DNA of the Romaian people showed that the self-reported phenotype frequencies according to hair and eye colour categories was as follows: 119 individuals – hair colour, 11 blond, 45 dark blond/light brown, 49 dark brown, 3 brown red/auburn and 11 had black hair; eye colour, 13 with blue, 15 with intermediate (green, heterochromia) and 91 had brown eye colour.

Another study from 2012 included 150 dental school students from the Constantinoupoli University, and the results of the study showed that light hair colour (blonde/light ash brown) was predominant in 10.7% of the students. 36% had medium hair colour (light brown/medium darkest brown), 32% had darkest brown and 21% black (15.3 off black, 6% midnight black). In conclusion, the hair colour of young Romaians are mostly brown, ranging from light to dark brown with significant minorities having black and blonde hair. The same study also showed that the eye colour of the students was 14.6% blue/green, 28% medium (light brown) and 57.4% dark brown.

Romaian surnames

Romaian family names are most commonly patronymics but may also be based on occupation, personal characteristics or location. The feminine version is usually the genitive of the family name of the woman's father or husband; so, for example, Mr. Yannatos and Mrs. Yannatou.

In the past, women would change their surname on first marrying to that of their husband in the genitive case, so marking the change of dependence to husband from father. In early Modern Romaian society, women were named with -aina as a feminine suffix on the husband's given name, for example "Giorgaina" signifying "wife of George". Nowadays, a woman's surname does not change upon marriage but she can use the husband's surname socially. Children usually receive the paternal surname, though some children receive the maternal surname in addition or exclusively.

Most common surnames 1 Mauromatis 2 Sideras 3 Rizos 4 Vlachos 5 Romios 6 Galanos 7 Konstantinidis 8 Mylonas 9 Kavallas 10 Orfanos 11 Samaras 12 Artopoulos 13 Raptis 14 Kanatis 15 Georgiadis 16 Nautikos 17 Iliopoulos 18 Koureas 19 Romanos 20 Tsopanidis