Saba Surname in Italy

Saba is an ancient surname, strongly rooted in Sardinia and still widespread there, though it also appears on the mainland with independent branches. The most convincing explanation links it to Latin sapa, meaning cooked grape must: from this word would come both Saba and the variant Sapa, also in connection with the Sardinian sàba and the traditional pane de saba, a cake made with cooked must. Other interpretations have been proposed as well: in some cases the surname may reflect an Hebrew origin, from sabà, while others have suggested an Arabic origin, saba, 'seven'. In any case, the forms Saba and Sapa are very old and well documented in medieval Sardinian records, including the signatures to the Peace of Eleonora of 1388 and references in the condaghi of Bonarcado and Trullas.