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

Capshaw, 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 Capshaw surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Capshaw in America

Capshaw is the 25332nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Capshaw surname appeared 977 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 Capshaw.

We can also compare 2010 data for Capshaw 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 Capshaw

The surname Capshaw is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "cæppe" meaning a cape or cloak, and "sceaga" meaning a small wood or grove. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, referring to someone who lived near a wooded area or grove where travellers often stopped to rest and take shelter under their capes or cloaks.

The earliest known record of the name Capshaw dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Capescoh" in the county of Lincolnshire. This entry suggests that the name was already established in England by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

In the 13th century, the name was recorded as "Capshaghe" in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, indicating that the name had spread to different parts of England by that time. The spelling variations continued, with "Capshaw" and "Capshowe" appearing in various records over the following centuries.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Capshaw, a landowner from Derbyshire, who was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of 1273. Another notable figure was Richard Capshaw, a merchant from London, who was recorded in the city's guild records in the late 15th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Capshaw was particularly prevalent in the northern counties of England, such as Lancashire and Yorkshire. One notable bearer was William Capshaw (1560-1624), a renowned poet and playwright from Yorkshire, who is known for his work "The Shepherd's Garland."

In the 18th century, the name spread to other parts of England, and several Capshaws were recorded in parish records across the country. One notable figure was James Capshaw (1734-1801), a successful businessman and landowner from Gloucestershire.

As the centuries passed, the name Capshaw continued to be found in various parts of England, with some bearers migrating to other parts of the British Isles and beyond. Among the notable Capshaws in more recent history was Sir John Capshaw (1812-1891), a prominent politician and diplomat who served as the British Ambassador to Russia in the late 19th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Capshaw

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

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

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

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