Contents [hide]

Hooper History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Hooper History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

The ancient name of Hooper finds its origins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from a name for a cooper or a fitter of hoops. The surname Hooper is derived from the Old English word hop, which means hoop. 1 Occupational names frequently were derived from the principal object associated with the activity of the original bearer, such as tools or products. These types of occupational surnames are called metonymic surnames.

Early Origins of the Hooper family

The surname Hooper was first found in Wiltshire where Adam and Philip le Hoper(e) was listed there in 1228. In Somerset, William le Houper was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for 1327, and Richard Hoper, couper was listed in Yorkshire in 1367. 1

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 include Alexander le Hopere in Devon. 2 In Somerset, John le Hopere was registered there as holding lands, 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 3

Early History of the Hooper family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hooper research. Another 105 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1444, 1495, 1515, 1553, 1555, 1621, 1640, 1727, 1742, 1774, 1777, 1790, 1827, 1847, 1848, 1849, 1850, 1851, 1853 and 1854 are included under the topic Early Hooper History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hooper Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Hooper family name include Hooper, Hoopar, Hoopir and others.

Early Notables of the Hooper family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

John Hooper (c. 1495-1555), Bishop of Gloucester and Worcester, born towards the end of the fifteenth century in Somerset, where his father was a man of wealth. The exact date and place are not known...
Edmund Hooper (1553?-1621), was an English organist and composer, born about 1553 at Halberton near Tiverton, Devon, and was brought up at Bradninch in the same county, until he was sent by Sir James...
George Hooper (1640-1727), was Bishop of Bath and Wells, born at Grimley in Worcestershire, 18 Nov. 1640. His father, also George Hooper, appears to have been a gentleman of independent means; his mot...
William Hooper (1742-1790) was an American lawyer, politician, and a member of the Continental Congress representing North Carolina from 1774 through 1777. He was one of the signers of the American De...

Hooper World Ranking

In the United States, the name Hooper is the 867^th most popular surname with an estimated 34,818 people with that name. 4 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Hooper is ranked the 708^th most popular surname with an estimated 61 people with that name. 5 And in Australia, the name Hooper is the 271^st popular surname with an estimated 12,662 people with that name. 6 New Zealand ranks Hooper as 232^nd with 2,529 people. 7 The United Kingdom ranks Hooper as 410^th with 15,922 people. 8

Hooper migration to the United States +

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, the Canadas, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Hooper surname or a spelling variation of the name include :

Hooper Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Hooper, who settled in Virginia in 1635
Alice Hooper, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 9
William Hooper, who landed in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "James" 10
Mr. Wm Hooper, aged 18, who arrived in Bermuda, (Somers Islands) in 1635 aboard the ship "Truelove" 10
Henry Hooper, who arrived in Maryland in 1637 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Hooper Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Nathaniel Hooper, who arrived in Virginia in 1701 9
Leonard Hooper, who landed in Virginia in 1705 9
John Hooper, who settled in Boston in 1712
Thomas Hooper, who arrived in Virginia in 1712 9
Henry Hooper settled with his wife and servants in Boston in 1716
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Hooper Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

H. Hooper, Cornish settler departing from Falmouth aboard the ship "Royal Adelaide" arriving in the United States on 11th May 1836 11
Mr. Walter Hooper, (b. 1830), aged 21, Cornish miner departing from Penzance aboard the ship "Mountaineer" arriving in the United States on 30 April 1851 11
Augustus Hooper, aged 36, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1852 9
Margaret Ann Hooper, aged 20, who arrived in New York in 1854 9
Miss Mary Hooper, aged 22, British settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Cynosure" in 1863
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Hooper Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Mr. John Hooper, (b. 1873), aged 27, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "St Paul" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 4th February 1900 en route to Hancock, Michigan, USA 12
Mr. John B. Hooper, (b. 1880), aged 23, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "St Paul" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 26th April 1903 en route to Lead City, South Dakota, USA 12
Miss Elsie Hooper, (b. 1900), aged 3, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 26th September 1903 en route to Ironwood, Michigan, USA 12
Miss Irene Hooper, (b. 1895), aged 8, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 26th September 1903 en route to Ironwood, Michigan, USA 12
Miss Addie Hooper, (b. 1892), aged 11, Cornish settler from St. Day, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 26th September 1903 en route to Ironwood, Michigan, USA 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Hooper migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Hooper Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Heny Hooper, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1749
Jane Hooper, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
Natha Hooper, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
Ann Hooper, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
Thomas Hooper, who landed in Anapolis (Annapolis), Nova Scotia in 1760
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Hooper Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Miss. Ann Hooper, aged 10 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Wandsworth" departing from the port of Dublin, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle on 21st May 1847 13
Miss. Theresa Hooper, aged 5 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Wandsworth" departing from the port of Dublin, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle on 21st May 1847 13
Mr. William Hooper, aged 45 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Scotland" departing from the port of Cork, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle In May 1847 13

Hooper migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Hooper Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Hooper, British Convict who was convicted in Devon, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 14
Miss Mary Hooper, British Convict who was convicted in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Experiment" on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, she died in 1851 14
Mr. Thomas Hooper, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 16th January 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 15
Mr. Israel Hooper, English convict who was convicted in Wiltshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Dromedary" on 11th September 1819, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1834 16
Mr. John Hooper(b. 1798), aged 23, Cornish settler convicted in Cornwall, UK on 24th March 1821, sentenced for life for breaking in and stealing from the house of Hugh Best of Cardingham, transported aboard the ship "Mary" on 28th August 1821 to New South Wales, Australia 17
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Hooper migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Hooper Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

John Hooper, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1841 aboard the ship Arab
John Hooper, aged 37, a labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Arab" in 1841
Caroline Hooper, aged 26, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Arab" in 1841
Elisa Hooper, aged 8, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Arab" in 1841
Caroline Hooper, aged 6, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Arab" in 1841
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Hooper migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 18

Hooper Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Walter Hooper, aged 23, who arrived in Barbados in 1684 9

Contemporary Notables of the name Hooper (post 1700) +

Walter McGehee Hooper (1931-2020), American writer and literary advisor of the estate of C.S. Lewis
William Tobe Hooper (1943-2017), American film director, screenwriter, and producer best known for his work in the horror film genre which included The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Poltergeist
Perry Oliver Hooper Sr. (1925-2016), American jurist, 27th Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court (1995-2001)
Chip Hooper (1962-2016), American music industry agent
Rear Admiral Stanford Caldwell Hooper (1884-1955), American radio pioneer who has been called "the Father of Naval Radio"
Captain Joe Ronnie Hooper (1938-1979), American Vietnam veteran awarded the Medal of Honor and 36 other citations
Horace Everett Hooper (1859-1922), American publisher of Encyclopædia Britannica from 1897 to 1922
Tobias Paul Hooper (b. 1943), American television and film director best known for his work in the horror film genre
Johnson Jones Hooper (1815-1863), American humorist
Ben Walter Hooper (1870-1957), American Republican politician, Member of Tennessee State House of Representatives, 1893-95; Governor of Tennessee, 1911-15; Candidate for U.S. Senator from Tennessee, 1916 19
... (Another 54 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Hooper family +

HMAS Sydney II

Mr. Edgar Norman Hooper (1921-1941), Australian Ordinary Seaman from Roma, Queensland, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 20

HMS Dorsetshire

Leonard John Jeffery Hooper (d. 1945), British Leading Air Mechanic aboard the HMS Dorsetshire when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 21

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. William C M Hooper, British Chief Stoker, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 22

HMS Repulse

Mr. Frederick Arthur Hooper, British Petty Officer, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 23

North Sea Flood

William Hooper, British worker aboard the ferry "Princess Victoria" killed in the North Sea Flood, a major storm surge in 1953

Prince of Wales colliery

Mr. William Hooper (b. 1863), Welsh coal miner who was working at the Prince of Wales Colliery in Abercarn, Wales on the 11th September 1878 when there was a coal mine explosion; he died 24
Mr. Joseph Hooper (b. 1865), Welsh coal miner who was working at the Prince of Wales Colliery in Abercarn, Wales on the 11th September 1878 when there was a coal mine explosion; he died 24

USS Arizona

Mr. Clifford C. Hooper, American Radioman Second Class working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he survived the sinking 25

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
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)
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to New York 1820 - 1891 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_new_york_1820_1891.pdf
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 34)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel-and-experiment
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dromedary
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 30th May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_convicts.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 18) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
Force Z Survivors HMS Dorsetshire Crew List, (Retrieved 2018, February 13th), https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listdorsetshirecrew.html
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
Entombed in flood and flame (retrieved 3rd August 2021). Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20120603025705/http://www.crosskeys.me.uk/history/prince.htm
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html