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

Opper, 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 Opper surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Opper in America

Opper is the 28525th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Opper surname appeared 836 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 Opper.

We can also compare 2010 data for Opper 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 Opper

The surname OPPER is believed to have originated in Germany, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old German word "ober," which means "upper" or "higher," and may have initially referred to someone who lived on higher ground or in an elevated location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname OPPER can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Anhaltinus, a collection of historical documents from the Anhalt region of Germany, dating back to the 12th century. In this record, the name appears as "Oppere," suggesting that the spelling has evolved over time.

During the 13th century, the surname OPPER appears in various historical records from regions across Germany, including the Rheinland and Saxony. These records often mention individuals with the surname in connection with land ownership or occupations related to farming or agriculture.

Noteworthy individuals bearing the surname OPPER include Johannes Opper, a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Trier in the 14th century. Another notable figure was Margaretha Opper, a respected midwife and healer in the town of Esslingen during the late 15th century.

In the 16th century, the surname OPPER can be found in several municipalities and villages across Germany, such as Oberoppershausen and Niederoppershausen, which may have derived their names from individuals bearing the surname.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname outside Germany is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Oppere" in the county of Somerset, England. This suggests that individuals with the surname may have migrated from Germany to England during the Norman conquest.

Other notable individuals with the surname OPPER include Friedrich Opper, a German artist and illustrator born in 1833, whose works were widely published in magazines and newspapers of the time. In the 20th century, Frederick Burr Opper, an American cartoonist and creator of the famous "Happy Hooligan" comic strip, was born in 1857 and gained significant recognition for his contributions to the world of comics.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Opper

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

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

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

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