List of vampiric creatures in folklore

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 – Highlands of Scotland
• Bebarlang – Philippines
• The Berwick Vampire – England
• Bhauangkara – Tibet
• Bhūta – India
• Bibi – the Balkans
• The Blow Vampire – 1706 Kadam, Bohemia
• Blutsauger – Germany
  • also spelled Blutsäuger
• 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 or Dubbelsügger
• Draugr – Norse also spelled:
  • Aptrgangr/Afturganga or Uppvakningur when the Draugr was raised by a sorcerer.

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
• Jaques SaintTray
• 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
• Kumiho – Korea
• 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:
  • 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 spelled:
  • 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

• Nachzehrer – Germany with the following possible spelling variations:
  • Neuntöter
  • Nachtöter
• 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
• Raktha pisachi – 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