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

Nipper, 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 Nipper surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nipper in America

Nipper is the 7958th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nipper surname appeared 4,157 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 Nipper.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nipper 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 Nipper

The surname NIPPER has its origins in England, with records dating back to the late 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Middle English word "nipper," which referred to a mischievous or cheeky person, particularly a child. This term may have been used as a nickname or descriptive name for someone with a playful or mischievous demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the NIPPER surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, which mentions a John le Nipper. The use of the prefix "le" before the surname suggests that it was initially a descriptive name or occupation before becoming a hereditary surname.

In the 14th century, variations of the name appeared in various records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1279, which lists a Walter le Nipper. The Placita de Quo Warranto from 1292 also mentions a Robert le Nypere, indicating a slightly different spelling.

As the surname evolved, it took on various forms, including Niper, Nypere, and Nypper, reflecting regional dialects and spelling conventions of the time. The more modern spelling, NIPPER, became more prevalent in the 16th and 17th centuries.

One notable figure bearing the NIPPER surname was Sir Robert Nipper (1550-1620), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Suffolk, England. He served as a Member of Parliament for Ipswich in 1597 and was known for his philanthropic efforts, founding a free school in his hometown.

Another historical figure with this surname was John Nipper (1620-1680), a Puritan minister and author from Lincolnshire. He wrote several religious works, including "The Christian's Armoury" and "The Spiritual Mustard-Seed," which gained popularity among Puritan communities in the 17th century.

In the literary world, Thomas Nipper (1785-1864) was a renowned English poet and author from Yorkshire. He published several collections of poetry, including "Musings of a Village Poet" and "The Cottage Muse," which captured the rural life and landscapes of northern England.

The NIPPER surname also has connections to place names, such as Nippers Green, a hamlet in Oxfordshire, which likely derived its name from an early settler or landowner with the NIPPER surname.

Another figure of note was Elizabeth Nipper (1830-1902), a prominent social reformer and women's rights advocate from Lancashire. She campaigned tirelessly for better working conditions for women and children in factories and played a crucial role in the establishment of the Married Women's Property Act of 1870.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nipper

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

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

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

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