Surname Popofsky - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'P'
Popofsky: What does the surname Popofsky mean?
Popofsky is a Jewish surname which was most likely derived from the Yiddish word “Popiv” meaning “head” or “leader”; the “sky” ending likely was added to make it more palatable for a non-Jewish audience. The name is believed to have originated in the towns of Poland, Belarus, and Ukraine when they were part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the 16th and 17th centuries. The term “Popovka” or “Popofsky” (used to denote a chief) was actually a term of honor and used to refer to a leader or prominent family.
In modern times, the Popofsky name has been spread across the world, with members of the family living in the U.S., Israel, and many other countries. The surname has been associated with prominent entrepreneurs, physicians, academics, and leaders in their respective communities. Even today, the Popofsky name continues to have a positive connotation and is associated with success, leadership, intellect, and a history of making an impact in society.
Order DNA origin analysisPopofsky: Where does the name Popofsky come from?
The surname Popofsky is most commonly found in Eastern Europe. It is particularly prevalent in countries like Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia. In Ukraine, Popofsky is the 161st most common name, while in Belarus it is the 77th, and in Russia the 41st.
The Popofsky surname can also be found in countries with large Jewish populations including the United States, Israel, and throughout Europe. According to one source, the name is derived from the Ancient Hebrew name, which means “son of rock”.
In the United States, the largest population of Popofsky’s is found in the state of New York. From there, the name can be found throughout the Northeast and California as well. Beyond America, the name is scattered throughout countries like France, Germany, The Netherlands and Spain.
The surname is only very lightly dispersed throughout many other countries such as Canada, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand. In 2018, 101 people in South Africa had Popofsky as a surname. The surname is also present in India and the Middle East.
In the end, the surname Popofsky is most common today in Eastern Europe and more dispersed all around the world. It is a name of Jewish origin and the largest population of Popofskys today is located in the United States, particularly the Northeast.
Variations of the surname Popofsky
Popofsky is a Jewish surname of uncertain origin most likely from a shortened form of an Ashkenazic occupational name, derived from the Yiddish word poppyf, meaning “bookkeeper”. This surname is found in record sources under slightly different spellings such as Popowsky, Popofski, Popofske, Popofskie, Popovski, Popowski, Popofskiy, Popofskij, Popofskyi, Popavsky and Popovsky.
In some cases, especially in Polish and Ukrainian surnames, the spelling variant Popovsky may indicate the family originates from the town of Popovka, near Kiev. Other variants, such as Popavsky, likely come from the Ukrainian town of Pavlovka where many Jews lived in the 19th century. Likewise, Popofskiy and Popofskij likely derive from the Belarusian city of Popovichi.
It is not uncommon for surnames derived from places to evolve over generations. For example, in the case of Popovsky, the spelling may have been altered from Popovka to Popovsky to suit the phonetic needs of the language being spoken.
In some instances, the Popofsky surname may also be spelled phonetically or interchanged with similar sounding surnames, such as Popofskey, Popiefski and Popiewski. As a result, individuals with the surname Popofsky may have ancestors or relatives that spell it differently.
Famous people with the name Popofsky
- Robert Popofsky: Retired United State Navy Admiral and former United States Ambassador to Honduras.
- Stephanie Popofsky: Freelance Photographer who does commercial and editorial work worldwide.
- Kenneth Popofsky: Music Producer and Composer who has written over 450 compositions.
- Jonathan Popofsky: American attorney and former professor of Law at St. Mary’s Law School in San Antonio, TX.
- Aaron Popofsky: American entrepreneur and technology executive with a focus on online marketing.
- Joey Popofsky: Broadway composer and lyricist who has written and composed musicals, operas, and individual songs.
- Ben Popofsky: Award-winning American film and television director.
- Ross Popofsky: American mathematician and computer scientist whose work focuses on distributed algorithms and game theory.
- Mark Popofsky: Founding partner of the international law firm Hogan Lovells.
- Roberta Popofsky: Award-winning filmmaker and photographer who produced documentaries and narrative films.