This list covers the many types of vampire-like legendary creatures of global folklore or people that were supposedly vampires. Since ancient times, people have had tales of supernatural creatures that feed on humans' vital essence (generally in the form of blood). This list does not include any vampire that originates in a work of fiction.
A Abchanchu – Bolivia Abere – MelanesiaCoulter, Charles Russell. Turner, Patricia.'Dictionary of Ancient Deities'. Oxford University Press, 2001 Abhartach – IrelandCurran, Bob (Summer 2000). "Was Dracula an Irishman?". History Ireland. 8 (2). Adze – Ghana Alp – Germany – Variations throughout the world."Variation: Alb, Alf, ALFEMOE, Alpdaemon, Alpen, Alpes, Alpmann, anders, ApSARAS, BOCKSHEXE, BOCKSMARTE, Cauquemare, Chauche Vieille, Dochje, DOCKELE, Dockeli, Doggi, Druckerl, Drude, Drut, Drutt, Elbe, Fraueli, Inuus, Lee-TON, Lork, Maar, Mahr, Mahrt, Mahrte, Mar, Mara, Mare, MART, Moor, Mora, Morous, Mura, Murawa, Nachtmaennli, Nachtmahr, Nachtmanndli, Nachtmannlein, Nachtmerrie, Nachtschwalbe, Nachttoter, Nielop, Nightmare, Night Terror, Old Hag, Quauquemaire, Racking One, Ratzel, Schratlein, Schrattel, Schrattele, Schratteli, Schrattl, Schrettele, Schrotle, Schrotlein, Schrsttel, Stampare, Stampen, Stampfen, Stempe, Sukkubus, Toggeli, Trampling, Trempe, Trud, Trude, Trutte, Tryd, Tudd, Vampyr, Walrider, Walriderske, Wichtel, and numerous others through history and geographic region" (sic) – Bane, Theresa (2010) Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology McFarland p. 17 Amalanhig – Philippines Aniukha – Mongolia, China Ardat-lili – Mesopotamia Arnold Paole – Serbia Asanbosam – Ashanti peopleBunson, Matthew. 'The Vampire Encyclopedia'. Gramercy Books, 2000 Original from Indiana University, – Also called Asasabonsam, this iron-toothed creature dangled its hooklike feet from trees to snare travelers. Asema – Surinam Asiman – Ashanti people Aswang – Philippines Aufhocker – Germany Azeman – Suriname
B Badmaarag – Mongolia also called Baadai Baital – India; Variations: Baitala, Baitel, Baitol, Bay Valley, Katakhanoso, Vetal, Vetala Bajang – Malaysia Bakalou baka – Haitian Vodou; Also called pinga maza, a shapeshifting evil spirit with red eyes. Bakeneko – Japanese Bantu – India, Three main kinds of this vampire including: Bantu Dodong Bantu Parl Bantu Saburo Baobhan Sith – Highlands of Scotland Beatha Greimach – Highlands of Scotland; literally "the breath thief". Berbalang – Philippines Berwick Vampire – England: A 12th-century rich man who was said to roam the town by night after his death. The townspeople, fearing that he would bring disease, cut up and burned the body, ending his nightly appearances but not preventing the plague. Bezkost – Balkans Bhayangkara – Tibet Bhūta – India Bibi – the Balkans The Blow Vampire – 1706 Kadam, Bohemia Blutsauger – Germany; Variant: Blutsäuger Boo Hag – America Boraro – Colombian folklore Brahmaparush – India Breslan Vampire – Breslau, Poland (17th Century) Buckinghamshire Vampire – 1196 Buckinghamshire, England Burach Bhadi – Scotland
C Cadaver Sanguins – England Cãoera - Brazil and Guyana Callicantzaro – Greece Camazotz – Maya Mythology Canchus – Peru also spelled: Pumapmicuc Capelobo – Brazilian mythology Catacano – Crete also spelled Kathakano Chedipe – India Children of Judas – Bulgaria and Serbia Chonchon – Latin America 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 – Aztec Mythology, Mexico Croglin Grange, The Vampire of – Cumberland, England
D Dachnavar – Armenia – also spelled Dakhanavar, a vampire who sucked the blood from victims' feet, preying on newcomers to his valleys. Dala-Kumara Yaka – Sri Lanka Danag – Philippines Danava Dhampire – Slovakia, with the following variations in spelling: Dhampyr Dhampiresa Dampyr Dila – Philippines Doppelsauger – Germany also spelled: Dubblesuger or Dubbelsügger Draugr – Norse Variations: Aptgangr (“one who walks after death”), Aptrgangr, Barrow Dweller, Gronnskjegg, Haubui, Haugbui (“Sleeper in the Mound”) Has two main versions land and sea. Drekavac
E Encourado – Brazil Edimmu – Mesopotamia – also spelled Etemmu – The returned spirit of a person who did not receive a proper burial. Ekek – Philippines Empusa – Ancient Greece – also called Mormolykiai, Empusas Eretik – Russia"Variation: Elatomsk, Erestan, Erestun, Erestuny, Eretica, Eretich, Ereticy, Eretiku, Eretitsa, Eretnica, Eretnik, Eretnitsa (female), Xloptuny" Bane, Theresa (2010) Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology McFarland p. 61 Estrie – Jewish Tradition
F Fifollet – United States (Louisiana) also spelled: Feu Follet Finnegan Thain – Scotland
G Gashadokuro – Japan Glaistig – Scotland Jure Grando – Croatia, first real person described as a vampire in historical records Ghoul – Arabic lore – "The Arabic stories of the ghole spread east and were adopted by the people of the Orient, where it evolved as a type of vampiric spirit called a ghoul." Variants: Alqul (Arabia), Aluga (Bible; Proverbs 30:15), Balbal (Tagbanua, Philippines), Ghoulas (Algeria); Katacan (Sri Lanka).
H Hannya – Japan Haubui – Norwegian Haidam Vampire – Romania (Hungary, before 1918) The Highgate Vampire – Highgate Cemetery England Hisi-Hsua-Kuei – China Hi'ilei – Hawaii hooh-strah-dooh – Wyandot – North America Hone-onna- Japan Hortdan - Turkic with different types Hortlak (Turkish) Xortdan (Azerbaijan) Hortan (Tuva) Hupia – Taíno with the spelling variations: opia opi'a op'a operi'to
I Impundulu – South Africa plural iimpundulu also called ishologu Incubus/Succubus – Medieval Europe Inovercy – Russia Iso-onna – Japan
J Jaud A similar mythical creature is a Drekavac Jenglot – Indonesia Jiangshi – China, also under the names of: Kiang shi Kuang shi Chang Kuei Cương Thi Jacques St. Germain - Louisiana Jigarkhwar – India also spelled Jigarkhor Joint-eater – Irish also called Alp-luachra Jubokko – Japan Jure Grando – Croatia
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 Kathakano – Crete Keres - Greece Kichkandi – Nepal Kephn – Burma Kranokolaptes - Greece Krasue - Thailand and it Southeast Asian variations. Variants: Ahp (Cambodia), Kasu (Laos), Kuyang (Indonesia), Ma lai (Vietnam) Kravopiec – Bulgarian Kudlak – Czechoslovakia Kumiho – Korea Kuntilanak - Indonesia Kukudhi – Albania Kyuuketsuki 吸血鬼 – Japan Karalanos – Egypt Katalina Bergeta - Norway
L Laistrygones – Ancient Greece, also under the names of: Laestrygones Laistrygonians Laestrygonians La Llorona – Central America and the United States Lamashtu – Mesopotamia Lamia – Libya Lampire – Bosnia Langsuir – Malaysia, also under the names of: Langsuyar Pontianak Kuntilanak Leanashe – Ireland (dubious) Lemures – Ancient Rome Leyak – Indonesia Liebava – Moravia Lidérc – Hungary Lilith (לִּילִית) – Jewish Tradition Lilu/Lilitu – Mesopotamia Loango – Ashanti and Asanbosam people, Africa Loogaroo – Caribbean Islands \ Mauritius Lugat – Albania, also under the name of: Liogat Kukuthi
M Ma cà rồng - Vietnam Mamba Mutu - Democratic Republic of the Congo Manananggal – Philippines also spelled: Tanggal Mandurugo – Philippines Mara – Slavonic also spelled: Mora Mati-Anak – Indonesia also spelled: Pontianak Meçkey – Turkic peoples, with the following spelling variation Mhachkay Meçik The Melrose Vampire – Melrose Abbey, Scotland Melusine – France The Mikonos Vampire – Greece 1702 Mjertovjec – Belarus Mmbyu – India also spelled or an early form of: Pocu Pati Moroi - Romania Moskitto - North America Mosquito Man - Native American, Pacific Northwest Mullo – Romani the plural being Mulé, with the following spelling variation: Mullo Muroni – Romania
N Nachzehrer – Germany with the following possible spelling variations: Neuntöter Nachtöter Nelapsi – Slovakia Nora – Hungary Nukekubi – Japan Nure-onna – Japan
O Obayifo – Ashanti Obur – Bulgaria Ohyn – Poland Ol' Higue – Jamaica Opyrb – Slavic with the following spelling variation: Opirb
P Pacu Pati – India Palis - Iran Papinijuwari – Australia Patasola - South America Pelesit or Palasik – Indonesia Penanggal – Malaysia Petar Blagojevich – Serbia Peuchen – Chile Pricolici - Romania Pichal Peri – India Pichas – Nepal Pishacha - India, Thailand Pishtaco – South America, Peru Plakavac - Herzegovina Pontianak – Indonesia
R Rakshasa – India Raktha pisachi – India Ramanga – Madagascar Revenants – England Richmond Vampire – Richmond, Virginia, USA Riri Yaka – Sri Lanka Ruza Vlajna – Serbia
S Sava Savanović – Serbia Sekhmet - Egypt Shade Shtriga – Albania Sigbin – Philippines Snallygaster - America Soucouyant – Trinidadian Guadeloupean it has the spelling variation: Soucriant Stregoni Benefici – Italy – A vampire that preys on other vampires. Strigoi – Romania with the following variations: Strigoaica Moroi Strix – Ancient Rome with the following spelling variations: Striga Stirge Strige Strzyga – Slavic also a male variant Strzygoń Suangi – New Guinea Sukuyan – Caribbean Succubus – Medieval Europe Sybaris – Greece
T Talamaur – Australia Teyollohcuani – Mexico Thayé – Burma with the spelling variation: Tasei Tlahuelpuchi – Mexico – A human witch who sucked blood. Also spelled Tlaciques
U Ubır - Turkic with spelling variation Obur Hobur Vupar Ubour – Bulgaria Upiór – Poland Upír – Slovakia Upir – Ukraine though could be linked to: Upyr – Russia Uruku – Mesopotamia Ustrel – Bulgaria Utukku – Mesopotamia
V Vampire pumpkins and watermelons – Balkan Vampir – Bulgaria, Serbia, Slovenia, Yugoslavia, Bosnia, and Croatia – Also called vapir, vepir, or vipir – the returned spirit of a person who did not receive a proper burial or had lived as a murderer, thief, or witch. Often infiltrating a community to pose as a normal person, they would roam at night to drink blood. Vampiros – Brazil and Portugal Vârcolac – Romania; variations: Pricolici and Varcolaci Vǎrkolak – Bulgaria Vendalla – Ethiopia Vetala – India Vhlk'h dlaka – Greece Vjesci – Poland Opji Wupji Vourdalak – Russia; variations: Verdilak, Wurdalak Vlkodlak – Siberia; Variants: Volkodlak, Volkoslak Vrykolakas () – Greece; variation: Vorvolakas, Vrykolatios (Santorini)
W Wak Wak – Philippines Wampir – Poland
Y Yama – Tibet, Nepal and Mongolia Yara-ma-yha-who – Australia – A four-foot-tall red creature with suckers on its fingers and toes that waited in fig trees to drop onto travelers. It would drain their blood, swallow them whole, and then regurgitate them, still alive. Yaka – Sri Lanka Yaksha – Sri Lanka, India Yakshini - India Yuki-onna - Japan
Z Zaloznye Pokojniki – Russia Zburător - Romania Zorfabio – New Zealand Zaolas – Brazil
See also Dhampir List of dhampirs List of vampires
References
Bibliography
Spence, Lewis (1960) An Encyclopaedia of Occultism 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, pp. 62–63 Mysteries of Mind Space and Time, The Unexplained series 1992 Orbis Publishing Limited, Westport, Connecticut, po. 150–151 A World of Vampires, documentary special, from the Two-Disk Special Edition Lost Boys DVD The Vampire Book by J. Gordon Melton Vampire Universe by Johnathan Maberry Vampires by Leonard R. N. Ashley