The name “Dracul(a)” comes from the Romanian lord Vlad III Dracul, Vlad the Impaler’s father. The reason for this was his affiliation with the Order of the Dragon, order with which his son, Vlad the Impaler, became associated as well.
The name “Dracula” comes from the Romanian lord Vlad Dracul, father of Vlad the Impaler, as the Romanian language uses the particles ”a”, ”ea”, ”lea” sau ”escu” at the end of proper names, when referring to “the son of” (in this instance, the son of Dracul). Hereby, “Vlad” is the given name of both the Impaler and his father, while “Dracul” is his father’s family name. The derivations “Dracul(a)” or “Drăcul(ea)”, with the end particles ”a” and ”ea”, stand for the son’s family name, both of them being used throughout his lifetime.
Vlad the Impaler’s father obtained the family name ”Dracul” as he was accepted into the Order of the Dragon, order in which his son was subsequently included as well.Transylvania World points out an extremely important aspect – the word ”Dracul” does not originate from the Romanian word ”Devil” (literal translation of ”dracul”). Instead, the word originates from the Order of the Dragon membership, as ”Draco” means ”Dragon” in Latin.
The family name Țepeș (the Impaler) is actually Vlad’s nickname as he became associated with the method of impaling used on delinquents and enemies of the state. The nickname (Vlad got after his death) stuck with him up to this day. Both lords, father and son, were also known as Vlad II respectively Vlad III, without any connection to the Romanian ruler Vlad I.
Transylvania World is asserting these etymological specifications because there has been a global influx of confusion regarding the names related to Dracula. In other words, when referring to the fantastic character ”Count Dracula” we have to draw a parallel to the Romanian ruler known under all these names: Vlad III, Dracul, Dracula, Drăculea, Țepeș. All these six name components are correct when referring to the Romanian Lord.
Vlad II Dracul, Vlad III the Impaler’s father, was the founder of the House of Drăculești, which lasted up until the 17th century. Several important historical figures were members of the House of Drăculești, such as Vlad the Impaler or Michael the Brave (important Romanian ruler), the lineage leading up to Charles, Prince of Wales, a fact confirmed by the Prince in a video interview.
Note: The Transylvania World concepts are an essential part of the association brand and their usage has to quote the source and reference this website.
