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

Cosper, 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 Cosper surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cosper in America

Cosper is the 12525th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cosper surname appeared 2,474 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 Cosper.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cosper 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 Cosper

The surname Cosper is believed to have originated in England. It likely arose as a surname in the medieval period, derived from an occupational term referring to a basket maker or seller. The root of the name may be traced back to the Old English words "cosp" or "cosp-ere," meaning "basket" or "basket maker/seller," respectively.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Cosper surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1195, where a William Cospere is mentioned. This suggests that the name had already become an established surname by the late 12th century.

During the 13th century, the surname appeared in various historical records, including the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1240, which mentions a John Cospere. Additionally, the Hundred Rolls of 1273 list a Roger Cospere in Oxfordshire.

In the 14th century, the Cosper surname continued to appear in records across different regions of England. For instance, the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1327 include a Thomas Cospere, while the Court Rolls of Walsham le Willows in Suffolk from 1347 reference a John Cosper.

One notable early bearer of the Cosper surname was William Cosper, who was born in Wiltshire around 1420. He served as a member of the House of Commons, representing Wiltshire in the Parliament of 1453-1454.

Another individual of historical significance was John Cosper, born in Somerset in 1532. He was a renowned scholar and theologian, serving as the Dean of Exeter Cathedral from 1575 until his death in 1603.

In the 17th century, the surname appeared in various forms, including Cosper, Cospere, and Cossper. One example is Thomas Cosper, born in Gloucestershire in 1612, who was a prominent merchant and landowner.

Elizabeth Cosper, born in London in 1668, was a notable figure in the early 18th century. She was a pioneering female author and poet, known for her works exploring themes of feminism and social commentary.

The 19th century saw the Cosper surname spread further across England and into other parts of the British Isles. For instance, James Cosper, born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1821, was a highly regarded architect who designed several iconic buildings in the city.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cosper

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

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

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

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