Alavidze


Alavidze - Georgian family name of Irano-Armenian origin.
The name takes its origins from Alavids, Shia emirates based in Mazandaran of Iran. They were descendants of the second Shi'a Imam and brought Islam to the south Caspian Sea region of Iran.
After their defeat in 928 AD by Samanid empire Alavids dispersed into three main branches: the main brunch was absorbed into the conquering Samanid empire; second moved up north following the caspian sea to present day Azerbaijan; the third branch took refuge in northern part of Armenia.
In order to accelerate the assimilation process, Alavids in Armenia changed their name to Alavian and changed their religion to the Armenian Apostolic Christianity. Nevertheless, the assimilation process was not successful rendering persecuted Alavians to move up north to Georgia.
At first Alavians occupied the southern part of Georgia, but because of the incongruity with the local Georgian population were forced further up north finding refuge in the Southern Caucasus mountains. In somewhat isolation and comfort of the mountainous region Alavians, with fair ease, assimilated into the local Georgian peasantry by adapting local customs, religious practices, and changing their name yet again, adding suffix dze/ძე to the root family name Alavid and thus becoming Alavidze.