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

Copper, 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 Copper surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Copper in America

Copper is the 10030th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Copper surname appeared 3,211 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 Copper.

We can also compare 2010 data for Copper 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 Copper

The surname Copper has its origins in England, dating back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "coper," which referred to a person who worked as a coppersmith or maker of copper utensils. The name is occupational in nature, indicating the trade or profession of the earliest bearers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Copper can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, which mention a "Willelmus le Coper." This entry suggests that the name was already in use by the end of the 12th century, likely referring to an individual involved in the copper trade or metalworking industry.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as "Coppere" and "Copere," reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling common during that period. Records from this time include references to individuals like John le Coper, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1272.

The Copper surname is also associated with certain place names, particularly those derived from the Old English word "copp," meaning a hill or summit. For example, the village of Coppull in Lancashire is believed to have influenced the naming of some Copper families in that region.

Among notable historical figures bearing the Copper surname, one can mention:

1. Sir John Copper (c. 1558-1628), an English politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1620.
2. Samuel Copper (1609-1683), an English clergyman and author of several religious works, including "The Epitome of Divinity" (1669).
3. Thomas Copper (1612-1674), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Brackley during the English Civil War.
4. Richard Copper (1718-1804), a British military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Pendennis Castle in Cornwall.
5. William Copper (1736-1800), an English engraver and portrait painter known for his works depicting notable figures of the time, such as Samuel Johnson and Sir Joshua Reynolds.

The Copper surname has a rich history rooted in the metalworking traditions of England, and its bearers have left their mark across various fields, from politics and religion to the arts and military service.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Copper

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

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

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

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