SURNAMES IN ITALY

Surname Poppi

Origin and meaning

E. Rossoni and F. De Laurentiis agree that the surname may derive from the place name Poppi, in the Arezzo area.

Rossoni adds two other hypotheses: a derivation from the name of the Gens Pupia, or else —as the more probable hypothesis— from the medieval German term popel ("poplar"), which would indicate the presence of those trees near the dwelling of the founders of the family. He documents the first transformations into a surname in the 13th century in Feltre (Belluno area).

De Laurentiis defines it simply as a Tuscan surname formed from the place name Poppi, in the province of Arezzo.

Geographic distribution: The Modena area (Modena, Soliera, Carpi, Formigine), the Bologna area (Bologna, Crevalcore, Sant'Agata Bolognese), the Ferrara area (Ferrara, Cento), the Padua area (Cittadella, San Giorgio in Bosco), the Vicenza area (Mossano) and Venice

📍 You can view how this surname is distributed in Italy: View distribution in Italy (Cognomix)

Comparative analysis based on 2 authors: where they agree, the hypothesis is strengthened; where they differ, the alternative interpretations are presented.

Sources

This entry of the Italian Surname Meanings dictionary is based on the following specialized onomastic sources:

  • Rossoni, E. (2002). Origine e storia dei cognomi italiani. Retrieved from https://www.cognomiitaliani.org
  • De Laurentiis, F. (2003). Cognomi occhiobellesi. Storia, curiosità, significati e classifiche. Occhiobello: Teatro Polivalente di Occhiobello (T.P.O.). Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20030516113456/http://www.comune.occhiobello.ro.it/cognomi/