Explore the Family Name Pappa
The meaning of Pappa
1. Italian (southern): nickname for a greedy or voracious person from pappa ‘food’ or from pappa ‘he eats’, from pappare ‘to munch or gobble’, or a short form of a compound of this verb + a noun, as for example Pappalardo. 2. Italian (southern): possibly also a variant of Papa ‘father, cleric, pope’. 3. American shortened form (and Greek feminine form, denoting ‘the daughter, or wife of’) of Greek Pappas ‘priest’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Pappa in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Pappa has seen a slight change in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 30,970 in popularity, but by 2010, it had slipped slightly to rank 31,068, which equates to a decrease of 0.32%. The count of individuals with this surname marginally increased from 709 in 2000 to 747 in 2010, which is an increase of 5.36%. However, the proportion per 100,000 people decreased by 3.85% over the same period, indicating that while more people bear the surname, its prevalence relative to other surnames has decreased.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #30,970 | #31,068 | -0.32% |
| Count | 709 | 747 | 5.36% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.26 | 0.25 | -3.85% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Pappa
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Pappa also saw shifts from 2000 to 2010 as per the Decennial U.S. Census data. The majority of people with this surname identified as White, though there was a slight dip from 89.99% in 2000 to 87.55% in 2010. Those identifying as Hispanic showed an increase from 5.92% to 7.50%, marking a growth of 26.69%. Additionally, those reporting two or more races more than doubled from 0.85% to 1.47%. On the other hand, the percentage of individuals who identify as Asian/Pacific Islander dropped by 10.83%. There were no individuals identifying as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 89.99% | 87.55% | -2.71% |
| Hispanic | 5.92% | 7.5% | 26.69% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 2.4% | 2.14% | -10.83% |
| Two or More Races | 0.85% | 1.47% | 72.94% |
| Black | 0.85% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |