Capps
A surname usually treated as a shortened or altered form of Capp, with an older explanation linking it to a cap or hood-maker.
The #1,983 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 16,970 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Most 19th-century surname writers treat Capps as a variant of Capp, and many connect Capp with the word for a cap, hood, or similar article of clothing. That makes the name likely to have begun as a nickname or occupational label for someone associated with caps. One older source also notes a Scandinavian personal-name explanation for related forms, so the derivation is not absolutely certain.
History
The name appears in English surname collections as a variant of Capp and Capper, and it is found in Britain and later in North America. In modern records it is most common in the United States, where it is well established but not especially common. The spelling with final -s may reflect either patronymic development or simple surname variation over time.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
19th-century surname scholars specifically grouped Capps with names like Quaife, Mantell, and Freemantle as likely coming from clothing-related terms.
From the historical record
“CAPLIN. See Chaplin. CAPP. CAPPS. Probably borrowed from that article of costume. See under Quaife, I\Iantell, Freemantle, &c. &c. CAPPELL. See Capel.”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom