Kaptur
A Polish surname derived from the Polish word "kaptur," meaning "hood" or "cowl."
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 274 Americans carry the last name Kaptur. That puts it at #82,613 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,250,928 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kaptur surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
274
1 in 1,250,928
Census rank
#82,613
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
228
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 228 bearers of the surname Kaptur in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 82613th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kaptur, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.6%.
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kaptur
The surname Kaptur originates from Poland, where it first emerged during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Polish word "kaptur," which means "hood" or "cowl." This suggests that the name was likely initially given as a descriptive surname to someone who wore a distinctive hood or cowl, perhaps a monk or a member of a religious order.
The earliest known record of the Kaptur surname dates back to the 15th century in the region of Lesser Poland (Małopolska), particularly in the city of Kraków and its surrounding areas. The name was also found in other parts of Poland, such as Silesia and the Mazovia region.
In the 16th century, the name appeared in various historical records, including parish registers and land ownership documents. One notable figure from this time was Jan Kaptur, a merchant and landowner who lived in the town of Bochnia in the late 1500s.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Kaptur surname continued to be prevalent in Poland, particularly among the urban populations of cities like Warsaw, Kraków, and Poznań. Some notable individuals bearing this name include Marcin Kaptur, a respected lawyer and judge in Warsaw in the mid-1600s, and Katarzyna Kaptur, a philanthropist and benefactor of several churches in Kraków in the late 1700s.
As the Kaptur family dispersed throughout Poland over the centuries, variations in spelling emerged, such as Kapturski, Kapturowicz, and Kapturczyk. These variations often indicated regional or dialectal differences or were adopted to distinguish different branches of the family.
In the 19th century, the Kaptur surname gained further prominence with the birth of Ignacy Kaptur (1805-1879), a renowned Polish writer and poet who authored several works celebrating Polish heritage and culture. Another notable figure was Władysław Kaptur (1841-1915), a prominent architect who designed numerous buildings in Warsaw, including the iconic Staszic Palace.
As Polish emigrants began to settle in other parts of Europe and the Americas in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Kaptur surname spread beyond its Polish origins. However, the name's roots can still be traced back to the medieval era in Poland, where it emerged as a descriptive surname with a unique connection to traditional attire and occupations.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kaptur
Among Census respondents with the surname Kaptur, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.6%.
The bar chart below shows how Kaptur bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Kaptur surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.6%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Kaptur surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #82,613 | #82,613 | 0.0% |
| Count | 228 | 228 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.08 | 0.08 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Kaptur bearers went from 228 to 228 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #82,613 to #82,613.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Kaptur
FAQ
Kaptur surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Kaptur?
The surname Kaptur holds position #82,613 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 274 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Kaptur surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kaptur, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.6%. These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.