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

Caplan, 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 Caplan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Caplan in America

Caplan is the 8263rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Caplan surname appeared 4,011 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Caplan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Caplan 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.

The history of the last name Caplan

The surname Caplan has its origins in the Jewish communities of Eastern Europe, particularly in Russia and Ukraine. It is believed to have derived from the Yiddish word "kaplan," which means "chaplain" or "rabbi's assistant." This suggests that the name was likely first adopted by individuals who served in synagogues or had religious roles within their communities.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Caplan can be traced back to the late 18th century and early 19th century in various census records and official documents from the Russian Empire. During this period, many Jewish families were required to adopt surnames, and Caplan became a popular choice.

One notable historical reference to the name Caplan is found in the memoirs of Nikolai Gogol, the famous Russian writer. In his work "Dead Souls," Gogol mentions a character named Caplan, suggesting that the name was already well-established in Russia by the early 19th century.

As the Jewish population of Eastern Europe migrated westward, the name Caplan spread across Europe and eventually to other parts of the world. Some variations of the spelling include Kaplin, Kaplan, and Caplain, reflecting the diverse linguistic and cultural influences encountered during this migration.

Among the notable individuals with the surname Caplan throughout history are:

1. Abraham Isaac Caplan (1853-1915), a Russian-born American rabbi and scholar who served as the Chief Rabbi of Montreal.
2. Harry Caplan (1896-1979), an American businessman and philanthropist who co-founded the Caplan Corporation, a successful retail chain.
3. Lionel Caplan (1914-2009), a South African-born British actor and playwright known for his roles in films such as "The Ipcress File" and "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold."
4. David Caplan (born 1965), a Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and held various cabinet positions.
5. Ralph Caplan (1915-2019), an American businessman and philanthropist who co-founded the Caplan Corporation with his brother Harry.

While the surname Caplan has its roots in Eastern Europe, it has since become widely dispersed worldwide, with notable bearers contributing to various fields, including religion, business, entertainment, and politics.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Caplan

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

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 Caplan was:

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 Caplan has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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 Caplan was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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