Tsintzina · Zoupena · Oneonta
The Lambros family
Seven generations, from a mountain village in southern Greece to Main Street in Oneonta, New York.

The short version
The earliest Lambros the family can name is Georgios (opens in a new tab), born around 1800 in Tsintzina, a village high in the Parnon mountains of Lakonia. He fought in the War of Independence. His family then settled on the plain below, in Zoupena, and climbed back to the mountain village every summer.
In 1873 a fellow villager, Christos Tsakonas, reached Chicago and began opening fruit and candy stores. Hundreds of young men followed him. The first Lambros crossed in 1884. Harry (opens in a new tab) came in 1903, aged fifteen, and in 1927 opened the Diana Restaurant in Oneonta, which the family ran until 1991.
Others went home to Greece and lived through occupation and civil war. Their children left again, for America, Australia and Argentina.
Seven generations
- Generation 1: The founder, a veteran of the War of IndependenceBorn c. 1800 · 1 person
- Generation 2: His two sons, the last born in the mountain villageBorn c. 1825–1835 · 2 people
- Generation 3: The first generation born in Zoupena, on the plainBorn c. 1845–1858 · 3 people
- Generation 4: The emigrants: Chicago, Jamestown, OneontaBorn 1870–1912 · 16 people
- Generation 5: Born on both sides of the Atlantic, and tested by warBorn 1907–1944 · 40 people
- Generation 6: Raised in America, Greece, Australia and ArgentinaBorn 1931–1979 · 61 people
- Generation 7: The youngest generation on recordBorn 1959–2009 · 49 people
Every branch on one canvas
The tree holds 172 relatives. Search for a name, open a branch, or pick anyone to see their line traced back to Georgios (opens in a new tab).
People to meet
Browse all 172- b. c. 1800Georgios A. LambrosFought in the War of Independence
- 1875–1935John D. LambrosMerchant in Jamestown
- 1888–1956Harry LambrosFounder of the Diana Restaurant, Oneonta
- 1889–1976Stamata LaskarisStranded in Zoupena after 1912
- 1895–1990Contillo GeorgesonRan the family restaurants in Oneonta
- 1923–2020Helen StamFifty years at the Diana
- 1924–2010George H. LambrosRan the Diana for forty years
- 1937–2025Nick LambrosHartwick College basketball coach
The story in seven chapters
See the timeline- Tsintzina, before 1821A village where three gorges meetWhere the family comes from, and what the name may mean.
- Zoupena, 1770s to 1840sDown to the plainHow a mountain village became a summer home.
- The crossing, 1873 to 1920Following TsakonasOne man’s candy stores drew a thousand young Lakonians to America.
- Chicago, Jamestown, OneontaFruit, candy and flowersThe newcomers went wherever a relative had a counter to stand behind.
- Oneonta, 1927 to 1991The DianaThree generations behind one counter on Main Street.
- Zoupena, 1912 to 1949Those who went backNot every crossing was final, and the village paid heavily in the 1940s.
- Lake Chautauqua, 1895 onwardThe clubhouse on the lakeA village that kept meeting for more than a century after it left home.