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

Sapper, 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 Sapper surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sapper in America

Sapper is the 60636th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sapper surname appeared 332 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 Sapper.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sapper 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 Sapper

The surname Sapper originates from the French language and has its roots in the late medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "sappeur," which referred to a military engineer or a soldier skilled in the art of sapping, or digging trenches and tunnels to undermine fortifications.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Sapper can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of France, particularly in the northern and eastern parts of the country. During this time, the name was often associated with individuals who served in military or engineering roles, working on the construction and maintenance of fortifications, bridges, and other structures.

One of the earliest known references to the name Sapper is found in a military record from the year 1286, which mentions a certain "Jehan le Sappeur" who served as a sapper in the army of King Philip IV of France. This document provides valuable insight into the profession associated with the name and its connection to military engineering.

As the name spread across Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Sappeur, Sapeur, and Saper, among others. These variations were influenced by local dialects and regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions.

In the 16th century, the surname Sapper began to appear in England, likely brought over by French immigrants or soldiers who had served in the French military. One notable figure bearing this name was John Sapper, a military engineer who was born in London in 1532 and played a significant role in the fortification of several English coastal towns during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another prominent individual with the surname Sapper was Pierre Sapper, a French architect and military engineer born in 1627 in Paris. He was renowned for his work on the fortifications of several cities, including Metz and Verdun, and his contributions to the development of military engineering techniques.

In the 18th century, a German family with the surname Sapper gained prominence in the field of mining and metallurgy. Johann Sapper, born in 1715 in Saxony, was a pioneering figure in the development of new mining techniques and the improvement of smelting processes for various metals.

As the centuries passed, the surname Sapper continued to be associated with military engineering, construction, and other related fields. While its prevalence varied across different regions and countries, it remained a distinctive name with deep historical roots in the world of engineering and fortification.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sapper

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

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

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

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