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

Damper, 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 Damper surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Damper in America

Damper is the 103655th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Damper surname appeared 173 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 Damper.

We can also compare 2010 data for Damper 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 Damper

The surname Damper is believed to have originated in England, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English word "dæmman," which means "to dam" or "to obstruct the flow of water." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a dam or was involved in the construction or maintenance of dams.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Simon le Damper, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1260. Another early reference can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which lists a Roger le Dammere.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Dammer, Dammere, and Dammour. These variations likely reflect regional dialects and spelling conventions of the time. For instance, the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327 mentioned a John le Dammere, while the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire from 1348 recorded a Henry Dammour.

The surname Damper may also be related to certain place names, such as Damerham in Hampshire and Damery in Buckinghamshire. These locations could have influenced the development of the surname or provided a geographical point of origin for some bearers of the name.

Notable individuals with the surname Damper throughout history include:

1. Sir William Damper (c. 1535-1590), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament.
2. Thomas Damper (fl. 1610-1640), an English explorer and sea captain who circumnavigated Australia in 1688.
3. John Damper (1679-1756), an English architect known for designing churches and country houses in the Baroque style.
4. Elizabeth Damper (1715-1781), a British writer and poet who published several collections of verse.
5. Henry Damper (1825-1897), a British engineer and inventor who patented improvements to steam engines and boilers.

The surname Damper has a rich history in England, with its origins rooted in occupations related to water management and dam construction. Over the centuries, individuals with this name have made significant contributions in various fields, including law, exploration, architecture, literature, and engineering.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Damper

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

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

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

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