NameCensus.

UK surname

Koper

Of English origin, a surname denoting a cooper or barrel maker.

In the 1881 census there were 14 people recorded with the Koper surname, ranking it #31,604 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 128, ranked #26,401, up from #31,604 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hammersmith and Fulham, Epsom and Ewell and Havering.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Koper is 130 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 814.3%.

1881 census count

14

Ranked #31,604

Modern count

128

2016, ranked #26,401

Peak year

2014

130 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Koper had 14 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,604 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 128 in 2016, ranked #26,401.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 55 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Koper surname distribution map

The map shows where the Koper surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Koper surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Koper over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 22 #29,378
1861 historical 55 #27,007
1881 historical 14 #31,604
1891 historical 17 #32,787
1901 historical 9 #33,154
1911 historical 25 #30,654
1997 modern 45 #33,168
1998 modern 48 #33,111
1999 modern 47 #33,320
2000 modern 44 #33,602
2001 modern 43 #33,576
2002 modern 42 #33,951
2003 modern 40 #34,215
2004 modern 45 #33,957
2005 modern 51 #33,701
2006 modern 67 #32,532
2007 modern 75 #32,079
2008 modern 80 #31,833
2009 modern 85 #31,717
2010 modern 95 #31,000
2011 modern 94 #31,016
2012 modern 116 #27,550
2013 modern 118 #27,686
2014 modern 130 #26,216
2015 modern 126 #26,654
2016 modern 128 #26,401

Geography

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Where Kopers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hammersmith and Fulham, Epsom and Ewell, Havering, North Lincolnshire and Wirral. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hammersmith and Fulham 017 Hammersmith and Fulham
2 Epsom and Ewell 007 Epsom and Ewell
3 Havering 019 Havering
4 North Lincolnshire 008 North Lincolnshire
5 Wirral 001 Wirral

Forenames

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First names often paired with Koper

These lists show first names that appear often with the Koper surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Koper

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Koper, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Koper surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Koper household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Koper is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Koper is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Koper falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Koper is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Koper, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Koper

The surname Koper has its origins in the Netherlands, tracing back to the early 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Dutch word "koper," meaning "copper," suggesting a potential connection to the copper trade or copper mining industry.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Koper surname can be found in the Dutch city of Haarlem, where a man named Pieter Koper was mentioned in a municipal record from 1523. It is possible that the name originated in this region before spreading to other parts of the Netherlands and beyond.

The Koper name also appears in historical records from the nearby city of Amsterdam. In the 17th century, a merchant named Hendrik Koper was listed as a member of the influential Amsterdam Merchants' Guild, indicating the family's involvement in trade and commerce.

During the Dutch Golden Age, the Koper surname gained prominence, with several notable individuals bearing this name. One such figure was Jan Koper, a renowned painter born in 1632 in Amsterdam, who was known for his realistic portrayal of Dutch domestic scenes and landscapes.

Another prominent Koper was Pieter Koper, a shipbuilder from Rotterdam who lived in the late 17th century. He was responsible for constructing several ships for the Dutch East India Company, contributing to the Netherlands' maritime supremacy during that era.

As the Dutch colonial empire expanded, the Koper name spread to other parts of the world. In the 18th century, a man named Dirk Koper was listed as a settler in the Dutch Cape Colony (present-day South Africa), where he established a successful farm and contributed to the region's agricultural development.

In the 19th century, the Koper surname gained recognition in the field of literature. Willem Koper, a Dutch poet and writer born in 1825, was celebrated for his lyrical poems and novels that captured the essence of Dutch rural life and traditions.

Throughout its history, the Koper surname has been associated with various professions, including metalworking, trade, shipbuilding, agriculture, and the arts. While the name originated in the Netherlands, it has since spread to other parts of the world, carried by Dutch emigrants and settlers seeking new opportunities.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Koper families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Koper surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 5 Kopers recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.09x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 5 3.09x
Middlesex 3 2.20x
Nottinghamshire 2 10.88x
Aberdeenshire 1 7.91x
Dorset 1 11.17x
Kent 1 2.15x
Suffolk 1 6.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 5 Kopers recorded in 1881 and an index of 50.86x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 5 50.86x
Mile End Old Town London 3 103.45x
Radford 2 215.05x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 1 42.37x
Greenwich 1 46.08x
Ipswich St Mathew 1 212.77x
Wynford Eagle 1 10000.00x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Koper surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Alice 1
Charlotte 1
Dorette 1
Eliza 1
Helen 1
Katharine 1
Leusa 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Koper surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Arthur 1
Bernhard 1
Charles 1
Godfrey 1
Gustav 1
J.H. 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Koper households.

FAQ

Koper surname: questions and answers

How common was the Koper surname in 1881?

In 1881, 14 people were recorded with the Koper surname. That placed it at #31,604 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Koper surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 128 in 2016. That gives Koper a modern rank of #26,401.

What does the Koper surname mean?

Of English origin, a surname denoting a cooper or barrel maker.

What does the Koper map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Koper bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.