Explore the Family Name Captain
The meaning of Captain
Americanized form (translation into English) of French Capitaine, Dutch Captein or Kaptein, Italian Capitano, German and Polish or other Slavic Kapitan, Hungarian Kapitány, and Greek Kapetanos, all status names from a title meaning ‘captain’ (ultimately from Late Latin capitaneus ‘chief’, ‘principal’ from caput ‘head’), used to denote a master of a ship, a high-ranking official, a headman, or a person of military rank. In North America, the surname Captain may also be derived (shortened and translated) from various Greek patronymics and other derivatives, e.g. Kapetanopoulos. Compare Capitan. Some characteristic forenames: French Constant, Emile, Marcell.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Captain in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data on surname popularity, the surname "Captain" has seen a slight increase in prevalence over a decade. In 2000, the name ranked 22,011 in popularity, with 1,098 individuals carrying the name, or a proportion of 0.41 per 100,000 people. By 2010, the rank had improved slightly to 21,811. The count of people with the surname rose to 1,192, a change of 8.56%, though its proportion per 100,000 dipped marginally by -2.44%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #22,011 | #21,811 | 0.91% |
| Count | 1,098 | 1,192 | 8.56% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.41 | 0.4 | -2.44% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Captain
The Decennial U.S. Census also gives insight into the ethnic identity associated with the surname "Captain". In both 2000 and 2010, the majority of individuals with this surname identified as White, although the percentage dropped from 55.19% to 53.27% over the decade. The second largest ethnic group was Black, maintaining a steady representation at around 28%. Interestingly, those identifying as two or more races saw a significant increase from 3.46% to 5.03%. Meanwhile, those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic also saw increases, while the percentage of American Indian and Alaskan Natives decreased slightly.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 55.19% | 53.27% | -3.48% |
| Black | 28.23% | 28.44% | 0.74% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 10.02% | 9.65% | -3.69% |
| Two or More Races | 3.46% | 5.03% | 45.38% |
| Hispanic | 1.82% | 2.01% | 10.44% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.28% | 1.59% | 24.22% |