Meaning & History
Etymology
Popović is a common surname in several Slavic countries, derived from the Serbo-Croatian word pop meaning "priest". The suffix -ović indicates a patronymic, so the name literally means "son of the priest". It is the equivalent of Russian Popov, Ukrainian Popova, and English Pope.
Geographical Distribution
According to 2014 data, Popović is particularly prevalent in Montenegro (1 in 68 people), Serbia (1 in 145), Bosnia and Herzegovina (1 in 354), Croatia (1 in 690), Slovenia (1 in 1,485), and North Macedonia (1 in 2,066). The variant Popovich is also common in Ukraine (1 in 1,530), Moldova (1 in 4,735), Belarus (1 in 9,762), and Russia (1 in 10,762).
Notable Bearers
Notable individuals with the surname Popović include:
- Sasha Montenegro, a Montenegrin-Mexican actress born Aleksandra Aćimović Popović.
- Aleksandar Popović (disambiguation), multiple people.
- Alyosha Popovich, a legendary bogatyr (knight) from Russian folklore.
Cultural Significance
As a surname reflecting a clerical lineage, Popović is part of a wider onomastic tradition across Slavic and European languages where occupational or status-based surnames are common. The root pop (priest) appears in many forms, including Croatian Pope, French Pape, and German Pabst or Pfaff.
- Meaning: son of the priest
- Origin: Slavic
- Type: patronymic
- Usage regions: Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, North Macedonia, and other Slavic countries
Related Names
Sources: Wikipedia — Popović