Caber last name popularity, history, and meaning

Find out how popular the last name Caber is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Caber.

Meaning of Caber

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic word "cabair" meaning "help" or "assistance".

Caber, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Caber surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Caber in America

Caber is the 143149th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Caber surname appeared 116 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Caber.

We can also compare 2010 data for Caber to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 143149 111119 25.19%
Count 116 147 -23.57%
Proportion per 100k 0.04 0.05 -22.22%

The history of the last name Caber

The surname CABER is believed to have originated in Scotland, deriving its roots from the Gaelic word "cabair," which translates to "assistance" or "help." This name likely emerged during the medieval period, when surnames were becoming more prevalent among the Scottish population.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the CABER surname can be traced back to the late 13th century in the parish records of Ayrshire, where a certain William Caber was mentioned. It's possible that this individual or their ancestors may have been known for their willingness to lend a helping hand, thus earning them the moniker "Caber."

During the 16th century, the CABER surname appeared in several historical documents, including the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, which recorded tax records and financial transactions. In these rolls, individuals with the surname CABER were listed as landowners or tenants in various parts of the country, suggesting that the name had become well-established by this time.

One notable figure bearing the CABER surname was Sir John Caber (1538-1612), a Scottish nobleman and military commander who served under King James VI. He played a significant role in the Scottish Reformation and was known for his unwavering loyalty to the crown.

Another prominent individual was Elizabeth Caber (1670-1743), a renowned Scottish poet and writer whose works were widely celebrated during her lifetime. Her collection of poems, titled "The Meadows of Caledonia," was considered a seminal work in Scottish literature of the 17th century.

In the 19th century, the CABER surname gained further recognition through the achievements of Robert Caber (1812-1888), a pioneering Scottish engineer who made significant contributions to the development of steam engine technology. His innovations played a crucial role in the Industrial Revolution and helped shape the modern world.

The CABER name has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Caber Glen, a picturesque valley located in the Highlands, and Caber Bridge, a historic stone bridge spanning the River Tay. These place names likely derived from individuals bearing the CABER surname who lived in or were associated with these locations.

While the CABER surname has its roots firmly planted in Scottish soil, it has since spread to various parts of the world, carried by Scottish emigrants and their descendants. Throughout its history, the name has been indelibly linked with the Scottish spirit of resilience, resourcefulness, and a willingness to lend a helping hand to those in need.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Caber

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Caber.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

  1. White only
  2. Black only
  3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
  4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
  5. Hispanic
  6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Caber was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 82.76% 96
Non-Hispanic Black Only 6.03% 7
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 8.62% 10
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 0.00% 0
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Caber has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 82.76% 85.71% -3.50%
Black 6.03% 7.48% -21.47%
Asian and Pacific Islander 8.62% 3.40% 86.86%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% 0.00% (S)%
Two or More Races 0.00% (S)% (S)%
Hispanic (S)% (S)% (S)%

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Caber was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Caber, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Caber last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 4, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/caber-surname-popularity/.

"Caber last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/caber-surname-popularity/. Accessed 4 July, 2025

Caber last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/caber-surname-popularity/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.