Vampyres of the World
Europe North America South America Central America Africa Asia Australia Philippines Islands Middle East Unknown Nationality
Europe
Aluka- Hebrew term meaning, "horse-leech" found in Proverbs 30:15, still debated as a type of vampire.
Baobhan Sith- Scottish vampires told to be fairies, which dance men to exhaustion and then drain them.
Carpathian- type of vampire popularized by Bram Stoker's "Dracula", subject to progressive madness
Dearg-due- Irish vampire, typical mythological vamp except that it cannot shape shift and may be defeated by building a cairn of stones over its grave.
Incubus- European sexual vampires. They are spirit vampires of a demonic nature. The general way they feed is by having sexual relations with the victim, exhausting them, and feeding on the energy released during sex. They may enter homes uninvited and can take on the appearance of other persons. They will often visit the same victim repeatedly. A victim of an incubus will experience the visits as dreams. The female version of an incubus is a succubus.
Kathakano- sees Vrykolakas
Krvopijac- Bulgarian vampires also known as obours. Look like normal vampires except that they have only one nostril. They can be immobilized by placing wild roses around their graves.
Lamia- Greek quadruped vampire, who had an animal body and female head, preyed upon men.
Moroii-Rumanin who will become a vampire after death but are able in life to send out there souls to Strigoi.
Murony- Wallachian
Nachzerer- German. These are ghosts of the recently dead, which return to kill their families.
Strige- Eastern European vampires who will attack people at night. "Bird of ill omen" will sometimes attack with a whole flock of strigoi sometimes attacking a single victim. The strigoi use their long, sharp beaks to peck holes in their victims and drink their blood.
Strigoi- Rumanian Vampire who is a corpse animated by the return of the soul.
Súmaire-Ireland
Upier- Russian vampires appear exactly as normal humans and have a "sting" under their tongue rather than fangs. They are active from noon until midnight. May only be destroyed by burning. When burned, its body will burst, giving rise to hundreds of small, disgusting animals (maggots, rats, etc.). If any of these escape, then the wampir's "spirit" will escape as well, and will later return to seek revenge. These creatures are also called vieszcy and upierczi.
Vampire- Slavic, has become the common name for any thing which takes vitality or energy from another
Varcolaci- Mythical Rumanian Vampires that eat the sun and the moon and cause eclipses.
Vrykolakas- Medieval Greece vampire described as being "swollen" and "distended," Vrykolakas can walk in daylight without being harmed. The Vrykolakas may only call to be let into a specific house once a night. In addition to sucking blood, Vrykolakas also cause nightmares. They may be destroyed by exorcism or burning.
Wampir- see Upier
North America
South America
Bâjang- Male spirit in the shape of a polecat.
Jaracara- Brazilian vampires represented often as snakes. May drink the milk of sleeping women as well as blood.
Lampir- Originated from the coast, have seven fangs: four on top and three on the bottom for removing the victims throat {Thanks to Mr. Tiernan for the information on this type of vamp!}
Central America
Civateteo- Mexican vampires also reputed to be witches that breed with human men, producing vampire offspring. They were believed to be linked to the god Tezcatlipoca.
Africa
Asasabonsam- African type of vampire with hook feet. Sucks blood from sleeping person's thumb.
Nosferatu- a type of Nigerian vampire with the incisors becoming the fangs also possessed super-human strength. The word "Nosferatu" (pronounced nos-FERU-too) means "that of the devil" {Thanks to Mr. Tiernan for the placement, pronunciation, and translation}
Ramanga- A living vampire whose job it was to eat the nail parings and drink the spilt blood of those of high rank so that these items could not be used against the nobles. This vampire is from a tribe known as Betsilo from Madagascar {thanks to Mr. Hughes for the placement}
Asia
Baital- Indian vampires which are reputed to be half man half bat.
Ch'ing Shih- Chinese vampires, which kill with halitosis (bad breath) and drain the blood. Have to count all the rice grains in a pile if it encounters one.
Hanh Saburo- Indian forest vampires, which can control dogs. They will attempt to lure or drive travelers into the forest to attack them.
Loogaro- West Indies vampires which appeared as old women, these vampires go abroad at night as blobs of light, much like the will-o'-the-wisp. Often depicted as elderly people.
Rakshasa- another Indian vampire. Powerful spirit vampires which usually appear as humans with animal features (claws, fangs, slitted eyes, etc.) or as animals with human features (flattened noses, hands, etc.). They often appear as tigers and are powerful magicians. They eat the flesh of their victims in addition to drinking blood.
Aluka- Hebrew term meaning, "horse-leech" found in Proverbs 30:15, still debated as a type of vampire.
Baobhan Sith- Scottish vampires told to be fairies, which dance men to exhaustion and then drain them.
Carpathian- type of vampire popularized by Bram Stoker's "Dracula", subject to progressive madness
Dearg-due- Irish vampire, typical mythological vamp except that it cannot shape shift and may be defeated by building a cairn of stones over its grave.
Incubus- European sexual vampires. They are spirit vampires of a demonic nature. The general way they feed is by having sexual relations with the victim, exhausting them, and feeding on the energy released during sex. They may enter homes uninvited and can take on the appearance of other persons. They will often visit the same victim repeatedly. A victim of an incubus will experience the visits as dreams. The female version of an incubus is a succubus.
Kathakano- sees Vrykolakas
Krvopijac- Bulgarian vampires also known as obours. Look like normal vampires except that they have only one nostril. They can be immobilized by placing wild roses around their graves.
Lamia- Greek quadruped vampire, who had an animal body and female head, preyed upon men.
Moroii-Rumanin who will become a vampire after death but are able in life to send out there souls to Strigoi.
Murony- Wallachian
Nachzerer- German. These are ghosts of the recently dead, which return to kill their families.
Strige- Eastern European vampires who will attack people at night. "Bird of ill omen" will sometimes attack with a whole flock of strigoi sometimes attacking a single victim. The strigoi use their long, sharp beaks to peck holes in their victims and drink their blood.
Strigoi- Rumanian Vampire who is a corpse animated by the return of the soul.
Súmaire-Ireland
Upier- Russian vampires appear exactly as normal humans and have a "sting" under their tongue rather than fangs. They are active from noon until midnight. May only be destroyed by burning. When burned, its body will burst, giving rise to hundreds of small, disgusting animals (maggots, rats, etc.). If any of these escape, then the wampir's "spirit" will escape as well, and will later return to seek revenge. These creatures are also called vieszcy and upierczi.
Vampire- Slavic, has become the common name for any thing which takes vitality or energy from another
Varcolaci- Mythical Rumanian Vampires that eat the sun and the moon and cause eclipses.
Vrykolakas- Medieval Greece vampire described as being "swollen" and "distended," Vrykolakas can walk in daylight without being harmed. The Vrykolakas may only call to be let into a specific house once a night. In addition to sucking blood, Vrykolakas also cause nightmares. They may be destroyed by exorcism or burning.
Wampir- see Upier
North America
South America
Bâjang- Male spirit in the shape of a polecat.
Jaracara- Brazilian vampires represented often as snakes. May drink the milk of sleeping women as well as blood.
Lampir- Originated from the coast, have seven fangs: four on top and three on the bottom for removing the victims throat {Thanks to Mr. Tiernan for the information on this type of vamp!}
Central America
Civateteo- Mexican vampires also reputed to be witches that breed with human men, producing vampire offspring. They were believed to be linked to the god Tezcatlipoca.
Africa
Asasabonsam- African type of vampire with hook feet. Sucks blood from sleeping person's thumb.
Nosferatu- a type of Nigerian vampire with the incisors becoming the fangs also possessed super-human strength. The word "Nosferatu" (pronounced nos-FERU-too) means "that of the devil" {Thanks to Mr. Tiernan for the placement, pronunciation, and translation}
Ramanga- A living vampire whose job it was to eat the nail parings and drink the spilt blood of those of high rank so that these items could not be used against the nobles. This vampire is from a tribe known as Betsilo from Madagascar {thanks to Mr. Hughes for the placement}
Asia
Baital- Indian vampires which are reputed to be half man half bat.
Ch'ing Shih- Chinese vampires, which kill with halitosis (bad breath) and drain the blood. Have to count all the rice grains in a pile if it encounters one.
Hanh Saburo- Indian forest vampires, which can control dogs. They will attempt to lure or drive travelers into the forest to attack them.
Loogaro- West Indies vampires which appeared as old women, these vampires go abroad at night as blobs of light, much like the will-o'-the-wisp. Often depicted as elderly people.
Rakshasa- another Indian vampire. Powerful spirit vampires which usually appear as humans with animal features (claws, fangs, slitted eyes, etc.) or as animals with human features (flattened noses, hands, etc.). They often appear as tigers and are powerful magicians. They eat the flesh of their victims in addition to drinking blood.
Australia
Philippines Islands and Surrounding
Aswang- Philippine Islands vampires capable of flight
Langsuir- Lady spirit in the shape of a night owl. Said to be a woman who died in childbirth or of shock from the news of a stillborn child. Has the ability to fly. {Thanks to Mr. Hughes for the placement}
Langsuyar- see Langsuir
Mati-anak- The stillborn child of the Langsuir. Also known as Pontianak {thanks to Mr. Hughes for the placement}
Penangglan- Malaysian vampire who preyed upon small children and infants
Pontianak- see Mati-anak
Middle East
Ekimmu- Assyrian spiritual vampires that are naturally invisible and are capable of possessing humans. They can be destroyed by using wooden weapons or by exorcism.
Gjakpirës- Albanian (don't even ASK about the pronunciation...I haven't a clue!)
Lugat- Albania
Massâcet- Turkish
Mulo- Serbian vampires which normally appear as people wearing white clothes. They are active both day and night, and can assume the shapes of horses or sheep. They eat their victims in addition to drinking their blood.
Oupire- Slavic
Volkoslak- see Mulo
Wukódlak- Serbian
Unknown Nationality
Loango- Ex-Sorcerers who are reputed to be stronger than the moon and able to turn into bats.
Otgiruru-Typical ugly undead variety of vampire.
"Vampire" in many languages: (as opposed to the name for a vampire in different countries)
Arpad: Hebrew
Draugar: Scandinavian
Upyr: Old Polish
Vampire: English, Descended of the Maygar word vampir.
Vampiro: Spanish and Italian
Vampir: German, Dutch, Albanian, and Turkish
Wampir: Polish
Wampira: Serbian
Vaimpír: Irish (also "deamhan fola")
Philippines Islands and Surrounding
Aswang- Philippine Islands vampires capable of flight
Langsuir- Lady spirit in the shape of a night owl. Said to be a woman who died in childbirth or of shock from the news of a stillborn child. Has the ability to fly. {Thanks to Mr. Hughes for the placement}
Langsuyar- see Langsuir
Mati-anak- The stillborn child of the Langsuir. Also known as Pontianak {thanks to Mr. Hughes for the placement}
Penangglan- Malaysian vampire who preyed upon small children and infants
Pontianak- see Mati-anak
Middle East
Ekimmu- Assyrian spiritual vampires that are naturally invisible and are capable of possessing humans. They can be destroyed by using wooden weapons or by exorcism.
Gjakpirës- Albanian (don't even ASK about the pronunciation...I haven't a clue!)
Lugat- Albania
Massâcet- Turkish
Mulo- Serbian vampires which normally appear as people wearing white clothes. They are active both day and night, and can assume the shapes of horses or sheep. They eat their victims in addition to drinking their blood.
Oupire- Slavic
Volkoslak- see Mulo
Wukódlak- Serbian
Unknown Nationality
Loango- Ex-Sorcerers who are reputed to be stronger than the moon and able to turn into bats.
Otgiruru-Typical ugly undead variety of vampire.
"Vampire" in many languages: (as opposed to the name for a vampire in different countries)
Arpad: Hebrew
Draugar: Scandinavian
Upyr: Old Polish
Vampire: English, Descended of the Maygar word vampir.
Vampiro: Spanish and Italian
Vampir: German, Dutch, Albanian, and Turkish
Wampir: Polish
Wampira: Serbian
Vaimpír: Irish (also "deamhan fola")
