Explore the Family Name Popper
The meaning of Popper
1. Jewish (Ashkenazic from Central Europe): from the Yiddish personal name Poper, a variant of Pop(e)l, a hypocoristic form of Poppo borrowed from German Christians in the Middle Ages (compare Poppel and Popp). 2. German: patronymic from Popp. 3. German (Pöpper): variant of Pepper. 4. English (London): nickname, perhaps for a long-legged man, from Middle English poper, a bird name, probably denoting the spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia), a heron-like bird that used to nest in England. Some characteristic forenames: German Fritz, Hans, Ilse, Otto, Wolf.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Popper in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Popper has seen a decrease in popularity between the years 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Popper was the 24,642nd most popular surname, but by 2010 it had dropped to the 27,411th spot, a change of -11.24%. The total count of individuals with this surname also declined over this period, from 950 in 2000 to 880 in 2010, marking a reduction of -7.37%. This indicates that for every 100,000 people in the U.S., the proportion bearing the surname Popper decreased from 0.35 to 0.3, a fall of -14.29%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #24,642 | #27,411 | -11.24% |
| Count | 950 | 880 | -7.37% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.35 | 0.3 | -14.29% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Popper
The ethnic identity associated with the Popper surname also saw shifts between 2000 and 2010, as shown by the Decennial U.S. Census data. The percentage of Poppers identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased dramatically, going from 0.63% to 1.14%, an uptick of 80.95%. However, those identifying as two or more races dropped to zero. The majority of people with the surname Popper identified as White, although this proportion slightly decreased from 90.11% in 2000 to 89.55% in 2010. Simultaneously, the representation of Hispanic and Black ethnic identities both saw increases, moving up to 5.23% (from 4%) and 2.95% (from 2.74%) respectively. Meanwhile, no Poppers identified as American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 90.11% | 89.55% | -0.62% |
| Hispanic | 4% | 5.23% | 30.75% |
| Black | 2.74% | 2.95% | 7.66% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.63% | 1.14% | 80.95% |
| Two or More Races | 2.53% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |