Pappas
A Greek surname meaning “priest,” originally used as an occupational byname for a priest or priestly family.
The #2,198 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 18,645 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Pappas comes from Greek pappa(s), a familiar word used for a priest, especially in the Eastern Orthodox tradition. The term ultimately goes back to a childlike form of “father,” reflecting the priest’s role as a spiritual father. As a surname, it likely began as a byname for someone connected with the clergy or descended from a priestly household.
History
The surname is strongly associated with Greece and Greek-speaking communities, and it is common among Greek immigrants and their descendants in the United States, Australia, and elsewhere. In many cases it reflects a family connection to an Orthodox priest rather than a clerical surname in the narrow hereditary sense found in some other European traditions. Anglicized or variant spellings can appear in migration records and diaspora communities.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because Orthodox priests may marry before ordination, surnames connected with priestly families are not as unusual in Greek naming tradition as they might be in some other cultures.