Hooper
An English surname that usually meant a maker of hoops for barrels or casks, though some families may have taken it from the older name Hoper.
The #1,020 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 9,015 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Hooper is generally explained as an occupational surname from Middle English words for a hoop or binding band. In this sense, a hooper was a maker of hoops for barrels, tubs, and other vessels. Older forms recorded in medieval sources include Le Hopere, and the surname is closely related to Hoper. Some writers also note that in a few cases it may have been used more broadly for people associated with hoop-making or barrel work.
History
The surname is old in England and appears in medieval records. One well-known bearer was John Hooper, bishop of Gloucester, whose name was spelled both Hoper and Hooper. Some 19th-century surname writers also suggested that a few Hoopers may descend from a Dutch family of the same name, but the main English explanation is occupational.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Bardsley glossed the name quite literally as the maker of hoops for barrels, showing how directly many English surnames came from everyday trades.
From the historical record
“ter, and York. HOOPER. The same as Hoper. John Hooper, bishop of Gloucester, a victim of the Marian persecution, wrote his name in- differently Hoper and Hooper. Perhaps in some cases a maker of hoops. The form of the name temp. Edward I. was Le Hopere. H.E. A distinguished family of this name are of Dutch origin.…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United KingdomNotable people named Hooper
- Tom Hooper (b. 1972)
- Tobe Hooper (1943–2017)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.