Kapper History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The history of the Kapper family name begins after the Norman Conquest of 1066. They lived in Lincolnshire. They were descended from Le Cappere of Ayncourt, in the bailiwick of Caux, Normandy. 1

Alternatively, the name could have been derived from an occupation as in 'the capper,' a maker or dealer in caps probably made of woollen cloth, though felt was used. 2 3

In the Feet of Fines the following was noted: "in the York Pageant amongst other crafts marched the 'cap-makers'; in the Chester Pageant the 'Cappers, Wyerdrawers, and Pynners'; in the Norwich Pageant the 'cappers, hatters'. "

Early Origins of the Kapper family

The surname Kapper was first found in Lincolnshire where they were granted lands by William the Conqueror, their liege Lord, for their assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. They were descended from Le Cappere of Ayncourt, in the bailiwick of Caux, and became Tenants in Chief in Lincolnshire, Northampton, and Cheshire. They assumed the name of Ballivia Domini Gaufridi de Capella.

The Hundredorum Rolls of 11273 listed: Symon le Cappere, Oxfordshire; John le Capiere, Oxfordshire; and Thomas le Capiere, Oxfordshire. 2

Early History of the Kapper family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kapper research. Another 120 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kapper History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kapper Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Cappe, Capper, Cappar, Capps, Caps, Caper and others.

Early Notables of the Kapper family

More information is included under the topic Early Kapper Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kapper migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Kapper or a variant listed above were:

Kapper Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Christian Kapper, who arrived in New York, NY in 1850 4
Peter Kapper, who landed in St Clair County, Illinois in 1868 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Kapper (post 1700) +

Isaac M. Kapper (b. 1864), American Democratic Party politician, Justice of New York Supreme Court 2nd District, 1910-34; Justice of the Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court 2nd Department, 1933-34 5

Citations +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-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)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 6) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html