Copper History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

The Scottish name Copper is a habitational name thought to be taken on from the place name Cupar in Fife, which is probably of Pictish origin, with an unknown meaning. As an English name Copper was occupational for a cooper, that is, a maker of barrels.

Early Origins of the Copper family

The surname Copper was first found in Fife, where Salomone de Cupir witnessed a charter in 1245. The name soon became known in other parts of Scotland, and in Cumberland where families held a family seat at Carleton Hall and Unthank. The name was in most cases derived from Cupar in Fife, but the occupation of 'cooper' has also contributed to its origin. "

The earliest record of the name is territorial, when dominus Salomone de Cupir appears as a charter witness in 1245. The name, also, is common in early Fife records from the thirteenth to the fifteenth century, additional evidence of its local origin." 1

Early History of the Copper family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Copper research. Another 227 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1275, 1281, 1296, 1329, 1370, 1376, 1406, 1426, 1468, 1477, 1568, 1613, 1619, 1634, 1664, 1672, 1705, 1723, 1731, 1800 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Copper History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Copper Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Coupar, Cooper, Cowper, Couper, Copper and others.

Early Notables of the Copper family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was William Cowper (1568-1619), son of a merchant tailor in Edinburgh, who became Bishop of Galloway; William Cowper (1664-1723), English jurist...
Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Copper Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Copper Ranking

In the United States, the name Copper is the 6,270^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 2

Migration of the Copper family to Ireland

Some of the Copper family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Copper migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Copper Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Frank Copper, who landed in Mississippi in 1873 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Copper (post 1700) +

Gerrit Copper (1953-2020), Dutch magician, three times Dutch national champion
Basil Copper (1924-2013), English writer, journalist and newspaper editor

The Copper Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Virtute
Motto Translation: Virtue

Citations +

Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)