Surname Rapoza - Meaning and Origin
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Rapoza: What does the surname Rapoza mean?
The surname Rapoza is of Portuguese origin, believed to be a topographic name for someone who lived by a border or boundary mark, which was often a tree stump or post. The name is believed to be derived from the Portuguese word ‘raposo,’ which translates as ‘fox.’ Over time, the name evolved to its current form, Rapoza. It is mainly seen among the people of Portuguese descent living in Hawaii and Massachusetts in the United States. Like other surnames, the original meaning or the exact origin might vary. Generally, however, the last name Rapoza is associated with someone strong, resilient, and sly like a fox, given its origin.
Order DNA origin analysisRapoza: Where does the name Rapoza come from?
The last name Rapoza is commonly found in Portugal and Anglophone countries, specifically Brazil, the United States of America, and Canada. A search on data from the United States Census Bureau’s 2020 American Community Survey reveals that the majority of people with the last name Rapoza live in the United States. In 2020, there were approximately 1,280 people with the name Rapoza living in the United States. The majority of these individuals live in Massachusetts (406), especially around Boston, although many also live in California (169), as well as Texas (98).
The last name is also fairly popular in Brazil, with 1,872 people with the surname living in the country in 2020. Most of the individuals with the last name Rapoza in Brazil reside in the state of São Paulo, with 338 individuals living there in the same year.
In terms of Anglophone countries, the last name is not as common in Canada, with only 358 people with the last name living there in 2020.
Overall, it is clear that the last name Rapoza is most commonly found in Portugal and its former colonies, the United States of America, and Brazil.
Variations of the surname Rapoza
The surname Rapoza (pronounced rah-POH-zah) is of Portuguese origin and is a variant of the name Raposo. It is also spelled as Raposa in Portuguese or as Rápido in Spanish.
In Portuguese countries, the surname is often spelled with a circumflex over the "a" as Rápoza. Similarly, the Spanish spelling of the surname may include an accent mark or other variations such as Raposio, Raptus, Raptis or Raptisso.
In Brazil, Rapoza has been repeatedly seen with the surname Ramos. This is because the Portuguese habitually linked the surnames together when creating nicknames, rather than using Rapoza exclusively. So, people with the name Ramos Rapoza are likely related genetically to those with the surname Rapoza, but may use Ramos as their official family name.
In Bulgaria, Rapoza is often written as Rachkov. This is due to the Slavic influences to the Portuguese language over the centuries.
Other common variations include Ropo, Ropoel, Ropoely, Rapoozy, Rapposelli, Rappazzo, Rappin, Raphaelson, Raploe, Raplick, Roppoleo, Rouppolo, Rouppolay, Ropelato, Ropellato, Ropello, Rapelii and Roppelli.
In some cases, entire families were known to change their names from time to time, as each generation chose a different version to identify with. For example, a surname such as Rapoza might also be found appearing as Rapposeli or Rapazzo. One of the oldest known progenitors of the name is Gabriel Raposo, from the 12th century.
On the other hand, some families have retained the surname with little or no changes throughout the centuries. Rapoza remains a widely recognized surname, found mostly in countries of Portuguese origin such as Brazil, Portugal, and Slovakia as well as Colombia, the United States and other countries.
Famous people with the name Rapoza
- Samuel Rapoza, Filipino professional basketball player
- Lucio Rapoza, Brazilian singer and developer
- Iván Rapoza, Uruguayan football defender
- Nelson Rapoza, Argentine footballer
- Josimar Rapoza, Brazilian dancer and choreographer
- Gustavo Rapoza, Chilean film and television actor
- Juan Rapoza, Mexican composer and conductor
- Jayme Rapoza, Brazilian Olympic modern pentathlete
- Daisy Rapoza, American singer-songwriter
- Mercedez Rapoza, Filipino-American actress and model