Re: history of surname "Hoponick"
by Jim Young (guest)
7/29/2012, 8:27 AM
Some thoughts on the surname Haponiuk -
Although it does occur in Poland I suspect it originated in either Belarus or Ukraine; or possibly among the 'Ruthenians' living in Poland.
It looks to me like a patronymic from the name Gapon, a Russian and Orthodox male name that would be prononced with an initial H sound among the peoples mentioned above.
I believe that Gapon is a variant of Agafon, ultimatly deriving from the Greek Agathon, meaning 'good'. This name would have been found among people of Orthodox or Uniate communities, rather than among Catholic Poles.