Explore the Family Name Cape
The meaning of Cape
1. English (northern): metonymic occupational name for a maker of capes and cloaks, or perhaps a nickname for someone who habitually wore a cloak or cape, from Middle English and Old Norman French cape ‘cape, cloak, hooded cloak’, from Late Latin cappa, capa, probably a derivative of caput ‘head’ (see Capp). There is also an Old English word cāpe ‘cape, cloak’, from the same Late Latin word, but the normal development of this in southern England was Middle English cope (see Cope). 2. French (Capé): nickname for someone who habitually wore a cape (see 1 above).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Cape in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Cape has seen a slight decrease between 2000 and 2010. In terms of rank, it fell from 11,758 in 2000 to 11,971 in 2010, a modest decline of 1.81 percent. However, the actual count of people with this last name increased by 6.88 percent over the same period, growing from 2,441 to 2,609 individuals. The proportion per 100,000 population also experienced a small drop of 2.22 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #11,758 | #11,971 | -1.81% |
| Count | 2,441 | 2,609 | 6.88% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.9 | 0.88 | -2.22% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Cape
The ethnicity data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows that the ethnic identity associated with the surname Cape changed slightly over the decade. In 2000, the majority of those with this surname identified as White (92.18 percent), decreasing to 90.03 percent in 2010. The Asian/Pacific Islander category saw a notable increase, jumping from 1.23 percent to 1.95 percent. Those identifying as Hispanic also grew from 2.95 percent to 3.87 percent. There was a marginal growth for both Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native categories, rising to 2.07 percent and 0.73 percent respectively. Conversely, the percentage of those claiming two or more races declined slightly from 1.43 percent to 1.34 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 92.18% | 90.03% | -2.33% |
| Hispanic | 2.95% | 3.87% | 31.19% |
| Black | 1.68% | 2.07% | 23.21% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.23% | 1.95% | 58.54% |
| Two or More Races | 1.43% | 1.34% | -6.29% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.53% | 0.73% | 37.74% |