Hi Latin Discussion,
Charles here. I am new to this forum and have joined principally to see if I can find assistance tracing my surname etymology.
The surname "Apap" is a shortening of "De Apapis", which was used from at least the 1400s up until the 1700s in Gozo, Malta in its longer form. Family tradition is that the surname derives in some form from the latin Apis, meaning bee, which features on our family crest and may link to the knight's templar.
I have almost no knowledge of Latin but have tried to research these claims further to see how De Apapis could have come from Apis. The closest variant word I have been able to find is the dative or ablative form Apibus. Could someone with a more substantial knowledge of Latin provide some insight into whether this is a reasonable etymology and whether there is any attested variant of Apibus that could be Apapis?
Charles here. I am new to this forum and have joined principally to see if I can find assistance tracing my surname etymology.
The surname "Apap" is a shortening of "De Apapis", which was used from at least the 1400s up until the 1700s in Gozo, Malta in its longer form. Family tradition is that the surname derives in some form from the latin Apis, meaning bee, which features on our family crest and may link to the knight's templar.
I have almost no knowledge of Latin but have tried to research these claims further to see how De Apapis could have come from Apis. The closest variant word I have been able to find is the dative or ablative form Apibus. Could someone with a more substantial knowledge of Latin provide some insight into whether this is a reasonable etymology and whether there is any attested variant of Apibus that could be Apapis?