Show ContentsLapp History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The long and noble heritage behind the name of Lapp first began in medieval France. While the patronymic and metronymic surnames, which are derived from the name of the father and mother respectively, are the most common form of a hereditary surname in France, occupational surnames also emerged during the late Middle Ages. Many people, such as the Lapp family, adopted the name of their occupation as their surname. However, an occupational name did not become a hereditary surname until the office or type of employment became hereditary. The surname Lapp was an occupational name for a young servant to a nobleman. Such a position was known by the Old French word "page" and was the first stage in a young man's training for knighthood.

Early Origins of the Lapp family

The surname Lapp was first found in Ile-de-France, where they held a family seat.

Early History of the Lapp family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lapp research. Another 96 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1656, 1664, 1670, 1695, 1696, 1718 and 1775 are included under the topic Early Lapp History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lapp Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Lepage, Lepages, Leppage, Leppages, Lespages, Lesppages, Lapage, Lappage, Dupage, Despages, De Lapage and many more.

Early Notables of the Lapp family

Another 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lapp Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lapp Ranking

In the United States, the name Lapp is the 6,310th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1


United States Lapp migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Lapp Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Agness Lapp, who arrived in New York in 1709-1710 2
  • John Gee Lapp, who arrived in South Carolina in 1749 2
  • Georg Lapp, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1751 2
  • Johann Jacob Lapp, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1751 2
  • Johannes Lapp, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1751 2
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Lapp Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Joh Henr Lapp, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1800 2
  • George Lapp, who arrived in Indiana in 1852 2
  • Joh Heinr Lapp, who landed in America in 1854 2
  • Jacob Lapp, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1876 2
  • Adam Lapp, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1878 2

Canada Lapp migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Lapp Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Mr. Jeremiah Lapp U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 3
Lapp Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Anthony Lapp, who is on record in Ontario in 1825

New Zealand Lapp 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:

Lapp Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Henry Lapp, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Edwin Fox" in 1875

Contemporary Notables of the name Lapp (post 1700) +

  • Claude Jerome Lapp (b. 1892), American physicist and professor
  • John Augustus Lapp (b. 1880), American publicist and author
  • Jack Lapp (1884-1920), American professional baseball player
  • Anna Lapp (b. 1908), German association official from the Baltic region
  • Adolf Lapp (b. 1888), German well-known writer


  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)
  3. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X


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