OUr family lived in Sparta (Gounari, Village of) for the last 150 years. Prior to that they were from the Village of Vlacho Kerassia - in Arcadia - hence the name Kerasiotes. The origianal name, when they lived in Vlacho Kerassia , before fleeing for fear of being killed by the Turks, as they had taken it upon themselves to punish a Turk who had been raping the women of the village, was something like Goutoulionis. Another nickname they were known by in Gounari was Roussos. There are a number of Kerasiotes' in Balitmore. Not sure from the same family - could be however as it is not a common name. Grandfather Demetrios George Kerasiotes came to US, NYC in the late 1890's or 1900 only to return after being ruffed up - he had a push cart. His brother, Nicholas came to US around that same time and lost all contact with the family.
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