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

Cupples, 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 Cupples surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cupples in America

Cupples is the 14806th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cupples surname appeared 2,003 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 Cupples.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cupples 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 Cupples

The surname Cupples is believed to have originated from the northern English counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire during the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "cuppel," which means a small cup or vessel. The name may have been given to someone who made or sold cups, or perhaps to someone who lived near a distinctive cup-shaped hill or hollow.

One of the earliest recordings of the name can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, where a Richard Coupull is listed. The name appeared with various spellings over the centuries, such as Cowpull, Coupill, Cupill, and Cuppill, before settling on the modern form of Cupples.

In the 16th century, the Cupples family had established themselves in the village of Leyburn, located in the Yorkshire Dales. The Leyburn Parish Registers from 1580 contain several entries for Cupples families, suggesting their presence in the area during this period.

A notable early bearer of the name was John Cupples, a merchant from Leyburn who lived from 1587 to 1653. He is recorded as having traded in wool and other goods, contributing to the local economy of the Yorkshire Dales region.

In the late 17th century, the Cupples name appeared in Scotland, possibly due to migration from northern England. One of the earliest recorded instances in Scotland is that of James Cupples, born in 1678 in the town of Dumfries.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, members of the Cupples family played significant roles in various fields. Robert Cupples (1725-1789) was a prominent merchant and landowner in Glasgow, Scotland, while James Cupples (1768-1854) was a successful industrialist and founder of the Cupples Iron Works in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.

Another notable figure was Samuel Cupples (1835-1905), an American businessman and philanthropist from St. Louis, Missouri. He made his fortune in the woodenware and furniture industries and was a major benefactor of Washington University in St. Louis.

As the name spread across the English-speaking world, it has been borne by several other notable individuals, including the British engineer and inventor William Cupples (1869-1944) and the Australian writer and journalist Joseph Cupples (1887-1956).

While the Cupples surname may have humble beginnings tied to cup-making or geographical features, it has been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cupples

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

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

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

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