Capers

KAY-perz

An English surname most likely from a nickname or an older personal name, though its exact origin is not securely established.

The #5,974 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 53,611 Americans shares it.

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Etymology

The historical sources provided do not give a firm derivation for Capers. In surname dictionaries, forms like this are often explained either as a nickname or as a spelling variant of an older personal name, but the evidence here is too slight to be certain. The name may also have been influenced by similar-looking surnames such as Capes or Capon, though that is speculative.

History

The excerpts supplied only show the surname in passing and do not record a specific origin story. Capers is established as a modern American surname, and its bearers today are concentrated in the United States. Without a direct dictionary entry, any deeper history would be conjectural.

Origin

uncertainEnglish

Regions

United StatesEngland

Variant spellings

CapesCappeCappCapewell

Fun fact

The same spelling also appears as the plural of the herb-like pickled flower buds called capers, which can make the surname look more culinary than it really is.

From the historical record

“Jessie Onions John Capers Jacob Girkin Charles Tiffin John Sage”

— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom

Related surnames

Confidence: mixed. Sources: Suffolk Surnames (3rd ed.).

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