Find out how popular the last name Papa is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Papa.

Papa, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Papa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Papa in America

Papa is the 5768th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Papa surname appeared 6,005 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Papa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Papa to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Papa

The surname PAPA is believed to have originated in Italy during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Latin word "papa," which means "father" or "pope." The name likely originated as a nickname or as a reference to someone who held a respected position within the church or the community.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name PAPA can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis, a collection of medieval documents from the Cava de' Tirreni monastery in southern Italy, dating back to the 11th century. In this document, a certain "Petrus Papa" is mentioned, suggesting the use of the surname at that time.

Another notable historical reference to the name PAPA can be found in the Liber Censuum, a 13th-century papal register compiled under the direction of Pope Honorius III. In this document, a "Stephanus Papa" is listed as a canon of the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname PAPA was Giovanni Papa, a prominent Italian jurist and canonist who lived in the 13th century. He served as a professor of law at the University of Bologna and authored several influential works on canon law.

During the Renaissance period, the PAPA surname gained further prominence with the artist Simone Papa, who was active in the 15th century. He was a notable painter from the city of Siena and is known for his works in the Duomo di Siena and other churches in the region.

Another notable figure with the surname PAPA was Niccolò Papa, a 16th-century Italian architect and military engineer. He is best known for his work on the fortifications of several cities in the Papal States, including the design of the Fortezza da Basso in Florence.

In the 18th century, Giuseppe Papa was a prominent Italian composer and music theorist. He was born in 1697 in Naples and is particularly known for his contributions to the development of the Neapolitan school of opera.

The surname PAPA has also been associated with prominent individuals in more recent history, such as the Italian politician and jurist Vincenzo Papa, who served as the President of the Constitutional Court of Italy from 1986 to 1995.

While the surname PAPA has its roots in Italy, it has since spread to other parts of the world, likely due to migration and cultural exchanges. However, the name's origins can be traced back to the Italian peninsula and its rich historical and cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Papa

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Papa.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Papa was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Papa has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Papa was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Papa, please contact us.

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