Popoff

Popoff is a surname of Slavic origin, primarily found in Russia and Bulgaria. It is a patronymic surname, meaning it originated from a male ancestor's given name. Specifically, Popoff means "son of a priest," derived from the Slavic word "pop" which refers to a priest in the Eastern Orthodox Christian tradition. The suffix "-off" (or "-ov" in some transliterations) is a common Russian and Bulgarian suffix indicating descent or belonging.

The surname Popoff, and its variants, indicates that the original ancestor was either a priest or someone associated with a priest, perhaps a son or other male relative. Like many surnames, its use became hereditary over time.

Variants of the name include Popov (often used in Russia and other Slavic countries), Popova (the feminine form), and Popovski (common in Macedonia and Serbia). The spelling can also vary depending on transliteration from Cyrillic script.

The surname is relatively common in Slavic countries and can be found among individuals of various social and professional backgrounds. It does not inherently denote any specific social status beyond the ancestral connection to a religious figure.