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

Popp, 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 Popp surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Popp in America

Popp is the 3973rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Popp surname appeared 8,947 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Popp.

We can also compare 2010 data for Popp 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 Popp

The surname Popp has its origins in Germany, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the German word "Poppe," which was a nickname for someone who was plump or rotund. This nickname likely stemmed from the Old German word "puppa," meaning "bulge" or "swelling."

In the early Middle Ages, the use of surnames was not widespread, and people were often identified by their given name, occupation, or physical characteristic. As the population grew, the need for more specific identification arose, leading to the adoption of hereditary surnames.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Popp can be found in various German records and manuscripts from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable example is the mention of a "Henricus Poppe" in a document from the city of Göttingen in 1292.

Over time, the name Popp spread to various regions of Germany, and variations in spelling emerged, such as Poppé, Poppen, and Poppes. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and scribal practices.

In the 16th century, a notable bearer of the name was Johann Popp (1516-1569), a German Protestant theologian and reformer. He played a significant role in the Reformation movement and was known for his writings and sermons.

Another prominent figure with the surname Popp was Johann Christoph Popp (1679-1753), a German theologian and philosopher. He was a professor at the University of Leipzig and made significant contributions to the fields of logic and metaphysics.

In the 19th century, Carl Eduard Popp (1830-1904) was a German botanist and teacher who specialized in the study of mosses and liverworts. He made significant contributions to the field of bryology and published several works on the subject.

Moving into the 20th century, Max Popp (1888-1962) was a German film director and screenwriter who worked during the silent film era and the early years of sound films. He directed several notable films, including "Die Försterchristl" (1952) and "Königliche Hoheit" (1953).

Another notable bearer of the surname was Gerd Popp (1912-1997), a German physicist and engineer. He made significant contributions to the field of optics and was known for his work on laser technology and holography.

While the surname Popp has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. However, the historical evidence suggests that its origins can be traced back to the German-speaking regions of Europe, where it emerged as a descriptive nickname in the Middle Ages.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Popp

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

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

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

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