Papa Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Papa last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Papa last name
Meaning of the Papa last name: "priest", or a nickname. Papa is an Italian surname that in southern Italy often comes from papa, the Greek-rite word for a priest, for a priest's family, or from a nickname for a man who acted like a pope. The last name is most common in Campania, Calabria and Sicily.
Arms associated with the Papa name
Coats of arms associated with the Papa surname follow Italian heraldry, each set out in a short blazon.
Get your full Papa family history
This is only a glimpse of the Papa story. The full Papa history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Papa coat of arms. Get the full Papa report.
Papa name FAQ
What does the Papa name mean?
"priest", or a nickname. Common variants include Papi, Lo Papa.
Where does the Papa surname come from?
It originates in Italy, and is also found in the United States, Argentina and Brazil.
Is there a Papa coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Papa coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: De Felice, Dizionario dei cognomi italiani; Caffarelli & Marcato, I cognomi d'Italia.