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

Skipper, 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 Skipper surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Skipper in America

Skipper is the 3457th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Skipper surname appeared 10,338 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Skipper.

We can also compare 2010 data for Skipper 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 Skipper

The surname SKIPPER is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "scipere," which referred to a boatman or sailor. This occupation-based surname first emerged in the coastal regions of England during the late medieval period, particularly in areas with significant maritime activities.

One of the earliest documented references to the SKIPPER name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Norfolk from 1327, where a Robert le Skippere is recorded. The use of the prefix "le" indicates the occupational nature of the surname during that time.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various spellings such as Skipere, Skippere, and Schipper, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time. This is evident in records from Essex, where a John Skippere was listed in the Feet of Fines in 1381.

The SKIPPER surname is also associated with certain place names in England, such as Skipper's Isle, a small island off the coast of Essex, and Skipper's Hill, a location in Kent. These place names likely derived from individuals bearing the SKIPPER surname who lived or worked in those areas.

One notable figure with the SKIPPER surname was Thomas Skipper (c. 1508-1572), an English merchant and ship owner from King's Lynn, Norfolk. He was a prominent figure in the town's maritime trade and served as its mayor in 1558.

Another significant individual was Sir William Skipper (c. 1560-1635), an English naval commander and explorer. He played a crucial role in several expeditions to the West Indies and North America, and his exploits were documented in contemporary accounts.

In the 17th century, the SKIPPER surname can be found in the records of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, indicating the migration of individuals with this surname to the New World. One such early settler was John Skipper, who arrived in Virginia in 1635.

The SKIPPER name also has connections to the Dutch language, where "schipper" means "captain" or "skipper." This suggests potential links between the English and Dutch maritime communities, which may have influenced the adoption and spread of the surname.

By the 18th century, the SKIPPER surname had become well-established in various parts of England, with notable individuals such as Richard Skipper (1707-1783), a successful merchant and landowner from Lincolnshire, and William Skipper (1728-1804), a prominent architect and surveyor from Norfolk.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Skipper

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

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

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

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