Surname Päpper - Meaning and Origin
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Päpper: What does the surname Päpper mean?
The last name Päpper is of German origin. It is derived from the German word “papper” which means “cloth” or “cloth maker”. It is believed that many of the holders of the surname Päpper were either cloth makers or textile traders. The name could have also been adopted from the first name of Peter, as the name Päpper can be derived from the combination of the German word for “stone” (“Papp”) and “Paul” (“er”). This would have created the name Pappereller, or “Päpper” in modern-day German.
It is thought that the Päpper surname dates back to at least the late 17th century. During this time, many Germans immigrated to the United States, bringing the name with them. In the late 19th century, many people bearing the Päpper name have been found in the state of Wisconsin.
The Päpper name may also appear in records with variations on the spelling, including Papier or Pepper. This is not uncommon among surnames of Germanic origin, to have variations of spelling.
The Päpper surname continues to be popular in Germany, as well as in the United States. The surname is seen in both urban and rural areas and is still present in German-American communities.
Order DNA origin analysisPäpper: Where does the name Päpper come from?
The last name Päpper is probably most common today in Germany and Austria, as well as other German-speaking countries such as Switzerland and Liechtenstein. This suggests the surname likely originates from Germanic countries and is a primarily German-language last name.
The surname Päpper is quite rare with only a few hundred people bearing the name. However, it can be found sporadically in other European countries such as Finland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, as well as in the United States.
The origin of the Päpper surname is believed to be locative, with the name being derived from the word “pappen”, referring to someone who lived in a region known for producing papyrus, which is a type of paper made from the papyrus plant. This makes sense, since papyrus was used for writing in the days of Ancient Egypt, which was present in North Africa, and Germanic tribes may have spread it along trade routes.
The Päpper name can also be traced to the Holy Roman Empire, which unified much of central Europe during the Middle Ages. There, the name was used to indicate a physical location, to refer to people from a certain place. It may also have had some religious implications, since traces of it can be found in records of the Catholic Church in that region.
Whatever its origin, the Päpper name is associated with a rich and varied history, and it continues to be used by people of Germanic descent.
Variations of the surname Päpper
Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Päpper include Pap, Pab, Paepper, Papner, Paepke, Peper, Paeppler, Peppelman, Peppen, Pippen, Peppelt, and Peppel.
Pap is the most common German variant, derived from the Middle High German word “poppe” which means “father”. Pab is a variant found in Austria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. The Dutch variants include Paepper, Papner, and Paepke, while the surnames Peper, Paeppler, and Peppelman are found throughout the German states.
The variants Peppen, Pippen, Peppelt, and Peppel were primarily found in the northern parts of Germany, mainly around the Thuringian region. The Peppelt surname is also found in some parts of Switzerland.
Päpper is an uncommon name, with only a few people bearing the name in various parts of Europe. It is not a particularly common surname even in its alternative versions. Despite this, the name and its variants have been carried down through generations in a few families, keeping the Päpper story alive.
Famous people with the name Päpper
- Johannes Päpper (born 1980): German politician, Member of the German Bundestag
- Gretchen Päpper (born 1953): German painter
- Johannes Päpper (born 1906): Nazi politician
- Flip Päpper (born 1964): Dutch-Canadian film director
- Gunter Päpper (born 1942): German-born Swiss architect
- Klaus Päpper (born 1946): German film producer
- Johann Jakob Päpper (born 1654): German philosopher
- Holger Päpper (born 1980): German handball player
- Mathias Päpper (born 1997): Austrian footballer
- Cornelius Päpper (born 1831): German composer