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

Kauper, 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 Kauper surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kauper in America

Kauper is the 140157th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kauper surname appeared 119 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 Kauper.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kauper 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 Kauper

The surname Kauper has its origins in Germany, where it first emerged in the late 15th century. The name is believed to have derived from the German word "Kaufer," which referred to someone who was a merchant or trader. This suggests that the earliest bearers of the Kauper name were likely involved in commerce or mercantile activities.

The Kauper surname is thought to have originated in the southern regions of Germany, particularly in the areas around Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Some of the earliest known records of the name can be found in historical documents and records from these regions.

One of the earliest known references to the Kauper name can be found in a ledger from the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, dated 1487. This ledger mentions a certain "Hans Kauper," who was listed as a merchant dealing in textiles and spices.

Another notable early bearer of the Kauper name was Johann Kauper (1498-1572), a Protestant theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the spread of Lutheranism in southern Germany during the 16th century.

As the Kauper family spread throughout Germany and Europe, the name underwent various spelling variations, including Kauffer, Kaupfer, and Kaufer. Some branches of the family adopted different variations of the name based on regional dialects or personal preferences.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Kauper name in the English-speaking world can be traced back to the 18th century, when a man named Johann Kauper (1712-1784) emigrated from Germany to the British colonies in North America.

Another notable figure with the Kauper surname was Carl Kauper (1822-1899), a German-American businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the development of the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in the late 19th century.

Other individuals of historical significance who bore the Kauper surname include:

1. Wilhelm Kauper (1842-1920), a German painter and artist known for his landscapes and genre scenes.
2. Anna Kauper (1874-1952), a German writer and journalist who advocated for women's rights and social reforms.
3. Otto Kauper (1893-1976), a German-American lawyer and legal scholar who served as a professor at the University of Michigan Law School.
4. Erich Kauper (1904-1992), a German engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of automotive technology.
5. Theodor Kauper (1924-2011), an American legal scholar and professor of law at the University of Michigan, known for his expertise in constitutional law and civil rights.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kauper

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

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

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

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