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

Clapp, 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 Clapp surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Clapp in America

Clapp is the 4088th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Clapp surname appeared 8,689 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Clapp.

We can also compare 2010 data for Clapp 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 Clapp

The surname Clapp is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "clappu" or "clæppan," meaning "to clap" or "to strike." It is believed to have originated as an occupational surname, referring to someone who clapped or beat cloth to remove dust or lint during the cloth-making process.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Clapp can be traced back to the late 12th century in various regions of England, including Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire. One of the earliest known references to the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a Robert Clapp is mentioned.

In the renowned Domesday Book, compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror, there are no direct mentions of the surname Clapp. However, there are several entries that could be related to the name's origins, such as the village of Clappenhow in Worcestershire, which may have derived its name from the Old English words "clæppan" and "hoh," meaning "a spur of land where cloth was beaten."

During the Middle Ages, the surname Clapp was found in various spellings, including Clappe, Clape, and Clepe, reflecting the regional variations in dialect and pronunciation. Some notable individuals bearing this surname include:

1. Roger Clapp (1609-1691), a prominent Puritan settler and military officer in colonial Massachusetts.
2. Thomas Clapp (1703-1767), an English clergyman and author, best known for his work "The Rodolphiad," a mock-heroic poem.
3. Asa Clapp (1805-1891), an American inventor and manufacturer, known for his contributions to the development of the sewing machine.
4. William Warland Clapp (1826-1891), an English-born Canadian businessman and politician, who served as a member of the Canadian House of Commons.
5. Edward Everett Clapp (1854-1923), an American lawyer and politician, who served as the Mayor of Boston from 1903 to 1905.

The surname Clapp has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Clapper Lane in Buckinghamshire and Clapperton in Northumberland, further emphasizing its connection to the cloth-making industry and the act of "clapping" or beating cloth.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Clapp

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

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

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

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