Show ContentsCopenhaver History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The roots of the German surname Copenhaver lie in the former royal duchy of Swabia, now the modern state of Baden-Wurrtemburg. The name is derived from the German words "kapaun," meaning "capon," a rooster, and "hof," meaning "farm." Thus, it was most likely first borne by someone who lived on a farm where capons were raised.

Early Origins of the Copenhaver family

The surname Copenhaver was first found in the Baden region, where Zinken Koppenhöfen, the first recorded bearer of the name, was living in 1387. The young Copenhaver family was instrumental during these early years, playing an important role in the development of medieval Swabian society.

Early History of the Copenhaver family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Copenhaver research. Another 86 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1387 and 1573 are included under the topic Early Copenhaver History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Copenhaver Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Koppenhöfer, Koppenhöffer, Koppenhofer, Koppenhoffer, Koppenhoefer, Koppenhoeffer, Koppenhoefen, Koppenhöfen, Koppenheffer, Copenhöfer, Coppenheffer, Copenhaver, Coppenhaver, Copenhoffer, Copenheffer and many more.

Early Notables of the Copenhaver family

Notables with the surname Copenhaver during this period were

  • Simon Copenhaver, an eighteenth-century army general

Copenhaver Ranking

In the United States, the name Copenhaver is the 8,311st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [1]


United States Copenhaver migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Copenhaver Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Barbara Copenhaver, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1732 [2]
  • Catharina Copenhaver, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1732 [2]
  • Maria Copenhaver, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1732 [2]
  • Woolf Copenhaver, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1732 [2]
  • Michael Copenhaver, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1732 [2]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Copenhaver Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Eula Copenhaver, aged 22, who settled in America, in 1905
  • William E. Copenhaver, aged 45, who immigrated to the United States, in 1910
  • Elmer Anthony Copenhaver, aged 31, who immigrated to the United States, in 1918

Contemporary Notables of the name Copenhaver (post 1700) +

  • Harold "Cope" Copenhaver (1961-2013), American politician, Member of the Arkansas House of Representatives (2013-2015)
  • Shawn Copenhaver, American actor, known for his work on Beware (2010), Creepy Crawly (2012) and Rock of Ages (2012)
  • Ritchie Copenhaver, American stuntman, known for his work on The Ring (2002), One Hour Photo (2002) and Wild Wild West (1999)
  • Brian P. Copenhaver (b. 1942), American Professor of Philosophy and History at The University of California, Los Angeles
  • Emily Copenhaver, American visual effects specialist, best known for her work on the Conan O'Brien show
  • Deke Copenhaver, American politician, Mayor of Augusta, Georgia in 2006
  • John Thomas Copenhaver (b. 1925), American federal judge on the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook