Family name origins & meanings
- Indian (Gujarat, Maharashtra, southern states) : Hindu name meaning ‘father’, derived from Prakrit bappa, used as a respectful term of address for a man, also as a term of endearment for a male child. In Gujarat and Maharashtra the family name comes from the respectful term of address, while in the southern states the term of endearment evolved into a male given name, which is used as a family name among South Indians in the U.S.