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

Kuper, 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 Kuper surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kuper in America

Kuper is the 17169th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kuper surname appeared 1,650 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 Kuper.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kuper 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 Kuper

The surname Kuper has its origins in the Netherlands, specifically in the northern province of Friesland. It is believed to have derived from the Dutch word "kuiper," which means "cooper" or barrel maker. The name likely emerged during the medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century, when the trade of cooperage was flourishing in the region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Kuper can be found in the Frisian municipal archives, dating back to the late 15th century. These records mention several individuals with variations of the name, such as Kuper, Kuyper, and Cuyper, indicating its widespread usage in the area.

The Kuper surname has been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One of the earliest known bearers of this name was Pieter Kuper, a respected cooper who lived in the city of Leeuwarden in the late 16th century. His craftsmanship and reputation were highly regarded among his peers and customers.

Another prominent individual with the Kuper surname was Jan Kuyper (1564-1627), a Dutch painter and engraver known for his religious and allegorical works. His paintings and engravings can be found in various museums and collections across Europe.

During the Dutch Golden Age, the Kuper family played a significant role in the maritime industry. Hendrik Kuper (1632-1703) was a renowned shipbuilder and naval architect, responsible for designing and constructing several vessels for the Dutch East India Company.

In the 19th century, Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920) emerged as a prominent figure in Dutch politics, religion, and academia. He served as the Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 1901 to 1905 and was a renowned theologian, philosopher, and founder of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland).

Another notable bearer of the Kuper surname was Justus Kuper (1905-1979), a Dutch businessman and philanthropist. He established the Kuper Foundation, which supported various charitable causes and initiatives focused on education and social welfare.

While the Kuper surname has its roots in the Netherlands, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora. However, its historical significance and connection to the Dutch culture and traditions remain strong, particularly in the regions where cooperage and shipbuilding were once thriving industries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kuper

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

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

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

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