Pope
A surname that began as a nickname for someone called “the pope” or “priest,” from the Latin word for father or pope.
The #528 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 4,833 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This surname comes from the medieval nickname Pope, ultimately from Latin papa, meaning “father” and later “pope.” In England the name could be applied as a sobriquet, and in some cases as a pageant or occupational-style name connected with church or ceremonial roles. Related forms also entered English through French, where pape had the same basic sense.
History
The name is well attested in medieval English records, and one early bearer appears as Hugh le Pppe in 13th-century rolls. It also has close parallels in French surname forms such as Le Pape. Over time, Pope remained a recognizable English surname and spread widely enough to become common in the modern English-speaking world.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The surname also appears in medieval records as a nickname-like byname, showing how titles tied to the Church could become hereditary family names.
From the historical record
“Close Rolls, A-D. 1272-3. POPE (A.-Lat.) a nickname and pageant-name [O.E. pdpa, Lat. papa, pope, father] Hugh le Pppe.— Zf«Krf. Rolls. Lepape (sometimes Le Pape) is a fairly common French surname. POPHAWl (Eng.) Bel. to Popham = (prob.) Poppa's Home [O.E. hdm, home, estate :”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)