List of vampires in folklore and mythology

For information on vampires, see Vampire. For information on dhampirs, see Dhampir. For a list of vampires in fiction, see List of fictional vampires. For a list of dhampirs in fiction, see List of fictional dhampirs.

This list covers the many types of vampires or vampire-like legendary creatures of global folklore and mythology. It does not include any vampire that originates in a work of fiction.

A

• Abchanchu – Bolivia
• Abere – Melanesia
• Adze – Ghana
• Alnwick Castle (Vampire of) – England
• Alp – Germany
• Andilaveris – Kithos Island, Greece
• Aniukha – Siberia, Russia
• Apotamkin - Quileute
• Arnold Paole-Serbia
• Asanbosam – Ashanti people
• Asema – Surinam
• Asiman – Ashanti people
• Aswang – Philippines
• Aufhocker – Germany
• Azeman – Ashanti people

B

• Baital – India
  • also called Vetala
  • also called Betail
• Bajang – Malaysia
• Baka – HooDoo Tradition
• Bantu – India. There are three main kinds of this vampire including
  • Bantu Dugong
  • Bantu Parl
  • Bantu Saburo
• Baobhan Sith – Scotland's Highlands
• Bas – Malaysia
• Bebarlang – Philippines
• The Berwick Vampire – England
• Bhauangkara – Tibet
• Bhūta – India
• Bibi – the Balkans
• The Blow Vampire – 1706 Kadam, Bohemia
• Blautsauger – Germany
  • also spelled Blutsauger
• Brahmaparush – India
• Breslan Vampire – 17th Century Breslau, Poland
• Bruja – Spain and Central America
• Bruxa – Portugal with the males being called
  • Bruxo
• the Buckinghamshire Vampire – 1196 Buckinghamshire, England

C

• Cadaver Sanguins – England
• Callicantzaro – Greece
• Camazotz – Maya Mythology
• Canchus - Peru also spelled
  • Pumapmicuc
• Catacano – Crete
  • also spelled Kathakano
• Cihuateteo – Aztec Mythology
• Chedipe – India
• Children of Judas – Bulgaria and Serbia
• Chordewa – Bengal
• Chupacabra – Originated in Puerto Rico; subsequent reports (some erroneous) in Brazil, Chile, Mexico, The United States of America
• Churel – India
  • also spelled Churail
• Cihuacoatl - Aztec
• Cihuateteo – Mexico
• Croglin Grange, The Vampire of – Cumberland, England

D

• Dachnavar – Armenia with the following spelling variations:
  • Dakhanavar
  • Dashnavar
• Dala-Kumara Yaka - Sri Lanka
• Danag – Philippines
• Danav
• Dearg-dul – Ireland with the spelling variation
  • Dearg-due
• Dhampire – Slovakia with the following variations in spelling:
  • Dhampyr
  • Dhampiresa
  • Dampyr
• Dila – Philippines
• Djadadjii - Bulgaria <this is a vampire hunter>
• Doppelsauger – Germany also spelled
  • Dubblesuger
• Draugr - Norse also spelt
  • Aptrgangr

E

• Edimmu – Sumer \ Iraq with the following spelling variation:
  • Ekimmu
• Empusa – Ancient Greece which is also called:
  • Mormolykiai
  • Empusas
• Eretik - Russia
  • Eretica - could be the female version of Eretik
• Estrie – Jewish Tradition

F

• Fifollet – United States (Louisiana) also spelled:
  • Feu Follet

G

• Ghoul - Arabia, Europe and Persia
• Glaistig – Scotland
• Grando the Carniola Vampire – Yugoslavia 1689

H

• Hannya – Japan
• Haubui- Norwegian
• Hidam Vampire – Hungary
• The Highgate Vampire – Highgate Cemetery England
• Hisi-Hsua-Kuei – China
• hooh-strah-dooh – Wyandot – North America
• Hupia - Taíno with the spelling variations
  • opia
  • opi'a
  • op'a
  • operi'to

I

• Impundulu – South Africa
  • plural iimpundulu
  • also called ishologu
• Incubus – Medieval Europe with the female counterpart
  • Succubus
• Inovercy – Russia

J

• Jaracaca – Brazil
• Jenglot - Indonesian and Malaysian
• Jiangshi – China, also under the names of
  • Kiang shi
  • Kuang shi
  • Chang Kuei
• Jigarkhwar – India
  • also spelled Jigarkhor

K

• K'uei – China
• Kalu-Kumara Yaka - Sri Lanka
• Kappa 河童 – Japan with the following spelling variations:
  • Gataro 川太郎
  • Kawako 川子
• Kasha – Japan
• Kataknana – Crete
• Kichkandi - Nepal
• Kephn – Burma
• Kozlak – Dalamatia
• Krvopijac - Bulgarian
• Kudlak – Czechoslovakia
• Kuzlak – Dalmatia
• Kukudhi – Albania
• Kyuuketsuki 吸血鬼 – Japan
• karalanos - Egypt

L

• Laistrygones - Ancient Greece, also under the names of
  • Laestrygones
  • Laistrygonians
  • Laestrygonians
• La Llorona – Central America and the United States
• Lamia – Libya
• Lampire – Bosnia
• Langsuir – Malaysia, also under the names of the
  • Langsuyar
  • Pontianak
  • Kuntilanak
• Leanashe - Ireland
• Lemures – Ancient Rome
• Leanhaum-shee – Ireland
• Liebava – Moravia
• Lidérc – Hungary
• Lilith לִּילִית – Sumer \ Iraq, with another name of
  • Lilitu
• Loogaroo – Caribbean Islands \ Mauritius
• Lugat – Albania, also under the name of
  • Liogat
  • Kukuthi

M

• Manananggal - Philippines also spelt
  • Tanggal
• Mandurugo – Philippines
• Mara – Slavonic also spelled:
  • Mora
• Masan – India also spelled:
  • Masani
• Mati-Anak – Malaysia also spelled
  • Pontianak
• The Melrose Vampire – Melrose Abby, Scotland
• Melusine – France
• The Mikonos Vampire – Greece 1702
• Mmbyu – India also spelled or an early form of
  • Pocu Pati
• Mullo – Gypsy the plural being Mulé, with the following spelling variation:
  • Mullo
• Muroni - Romania

N

• Nachtzehrer – Germany with the following possible spelling variations:
  • Neuntoter
  • Nachttoter
• Nelapsi – Slovakia
• Nora – Hungary
• Nosferatu - Romania

O

• Obayifo – Ashanti
• Obur - Bulgaria
• Ohyn – Poland
• Ol' Higue - Jamaica
• Opyrb - Slavic with the following spelling variation
  • Opirb

P

• Pacu Pati – India
• Pelesit – Malaysia
• Penanggal – Malaysia
• Petar Blagojevich – Serbia
• Peuchen - Chile
• Pichal Peri - India
• Pichas - Nepal
• Pishtaco - South America, Peru
• Pontianak - Malaysia

R

• Rakshasa – India
• Ramanga - Madagascar
• Revenants – England
• Richmond Vampire – Richmond, Virginia, USA
• Riri Yaka - Sri Lanka
• Ruza Vlajna - Serbia

S

• Sava Savanović – Serbia
• Shtriga - Albania
• Soucouyant - Trinidadian Guadeloupean it has the spelling variation
  • Soucriant
• Strigoi – Romania with the following variations
  • Strigoaica
  • Moroi
• Strix – Ancient Rome with the following spelling variations
  • Striga
  • Stirge
  • Strige
• Strzyga - Slavic
• Suangi - New Guinea
• Sukuyan – Caribbean
• Succubus – Judeo-Christian
• Sybaris – Greece

T

• Talamaur – Australia
• Thayé - Burma with the spelling variation
  • Tasei
• Tlahuelpuchi – Mexico with the following spelling variation
  • Tlaciques

U

• Ubour – Bulgaria
• Upier - Poland
  • Vjesci (pronounced as "vyeskee")
  • Njetop (pronounced as "nyetop")
  • Wupji (pronounces as "woopyee")
  • Ohyn
• Upir – Ukraine though could be linked to
• Upyr - Russia
• Uruku - Mesopotamia
• Ustrel – Bulgaria
• Utukku – Iraq

V

• Vampire pumpkins and watermelons - Balkan
• Vampiro - Brazil and Portugal
• Vapir - Bulgaria
• Vârcolac – Romania with the variations
  • Varcolaci
  • Pricolici
• Vǎrkolak - Bulgaria
• Vendalla - Ethiopia
• Vetalas – India
• Vhlk'h dlaka – Greece
• Vipir
• Vjesci – Germany
  • Opji
  • Wupji
• Vampir - Slovenia,Yugoslavia, Bosnia and Croatia
• Vourdalak – Russia
• Vrykolakas βρυκόλακας – Greece with the spelling variation
  • Vorvolakas
• Vrykolatios - Santorini

W

• Wak Wak - Philippines
• Wampir - Poland
• Wurdulac - Russian has a spelling variation
  • Verdilak

Y

• Yama – Tibet, Nepal and Mongolia
• Yara-ma-yha-who – Australia
• Yaka - Sri Lanka
• Yaksha - Sri Lanka, India

Z

• Zaloznye Pokojniki – Russia
• Zorfabio – New Zealand
• Zaolas - Brazil

References

• An Encyclopaedia of Occultism by Lewis Spence 1960 University Books Inc. New Hyde Park, New York
• The Vampire Watchers Handbook by "Constantine Gregory" and Craig Glenday, 2003 St. Martin's Press New York New York, pages 62–63
• Mysteries of Mind Space and Time, The Unexplained series 1992 Orbis Publishing Limited, Westport, Connecticut, Pages 150–151,
• A World of Vampires, documentary special, from the Two-Disk Special Edition Lost Boys DVD
• The Vampire Book by J. Gordon Melton
• The Vampire Encyclopedia by Matthew Bunson
• Vampire Universe by Johnathan Maberry
• Vampires by Leonard R.N. Ashley