Kapp
A German surname often linked to a cap or hood, though some bearers may reflect other short-name forms.
The #8,333 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 77,691 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The name is most commonly explained from German Kappe, meaning “cap” or “hood,” suggesting an original nickname for someone who wore a distinctive head covering or perhaps made or sold caps. Early surname writers also noticed Kapp among a cluster of names derived from clothing terms. In some cases it may also represent a shortened form of other German names beginning with Kap- or a regional spelling variation, so the origin is not always certain in every family line.
History
The surname is established in German-speaking areas and appears in older surname lists alongside forms such as Kappel, Käppel, Käppis, and Kappus. Nineteenth-century scholars repeatedly grouped Kapp with surnames derived from headgear, which helped cement the cap/hood explanation in onomastic literature. It also spread beyond Germany through emigration, especially to North America.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Old surname studies sometimes classed Kapp with names taken from clothing or headgear, placing it in the same broad family as other “cap” surnames.
From the historical record
“blancheur (Bret.). Kapp. Bonnet {Kappe, Allem.). Karger. Parcimonieux (Allem.). Karlhach. De Karlbnch (rivière”
— Dictionnaire des noms (French surnames)