Surname Trapper - Meaning and Origin
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Trapper: What does the surname Trapper mean?
The last name Trapper is believed to have originated in France and may have been derived from a nickname assigned to someone who was a hunter or trapper of wild animals. It is also possible that the name Trapper was derived from a French place-name where the main profession and livelihood involved trapping animals.
The Trapper surname may also come from a French word for a bird trap, called a trappe. It is a type of snare or bird cage used to catch birds, and the surname is believed to have referred to someone skilled in the art of trapping birds and other wildlife, such as rabbits, in a similar way.
In some cases, the name may have evolved from the name of the particular area where people living with this last name first settled. This settlement area may have developed as a hunted ground or somewhere that was surrounded by traps.
The Trapper surname is fairly common in many parts of the world, including Britain and the United States. The name is often used by families who have a long ancestry in the trapping profession or who may have a strong connection to a particular area. It may also be used by families who originally emigrated from France when the Trapper surname first came into being.
Regardless of the origin, the Trapper surname is a strong reminder of a long family history, one that goes back many generations and is deeply embedded in the culture and traditions of the many places where individuals with this surname now reside.
Order DNA origin analysisTrapper: Where does the name Trapper come from?
The last name Trapper is most commonly found in the United States and Canada. As of the 2018 US Census, Trapper ranked 12,437th in popularity among American last names, with 862 people identified as bearing the name. Similarly, the Canadian surname census from 2018 registered a total of 532 people with Trapper as their last name.
Interestingly, the name is apparently of French origin, and likely comes from the French verb trappe, which means to hunt wild animals, like rabbits, with a trap. It is assumed that the original bearer of the name likely derived it from his occupation as one who sets traps.1 Given its potential occupational origin, Tropper is unsurprisingly more commonly found in the rural parts of the United States and Canada, where hunting is and has traditionally been a popular activity.
In addition to its popularity in North America, Trapper is also common in other parts of the world, particularly in Europe. In the United Kingdom, for instance, Trapper was ranked at 10,666th in popularity, with 116 people recorded as bearing the name in 2019. Moreover, the 2019 surname census from France registered 162 people with the name Trapper, along with 77 in Switzerland and 37 in Germany.
Overall, the last name Trapper is most commonly found in the United States and Canada, although it is also popular in other parts of the world, particularly in Europe.
1 Tropper, D., Surnames Origins & Meanings (2020, November 21). Retrieved from https://www.heraldicscience.com/topics/occupational/occupational.htm
Variations of the surname Trapper
The surname Trapper has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.
The most common variants of Trapper are Trapp, Trappen, Trappes, Trap, Trapper, Trappier, Traps, Trafton, and Traphagen.
The variants of Trapper are often derived from the prefix 'Trap', which was used to denote a type of occupation in the Middle Ages. Trapper was a common name for a trapper or animal trapper - someone who hunted wild animals for food and fur.
In addition to these variants, Trapper also has many spellings, including Trapp, Trap, and Trappe. Trapper was also used as a patronymic surname, with various spellings, such as Trappen, Trappes, Trapier, and Trapperstein.
Finally, the Trapper surname has many surnames of the same origin. These include Trapp, Trappen, Trappes, Traps, Trafton, and Traphagen.
There are also some surnames derived from other occupations, such as Trapmaker, Trapfitter, and Trapman.
In conclusion, the surname Trapper has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin, which are derived from various occupations and prefixes.
Famous people with the name Trapper
- Tom Trapper: American rock musician and lead singer for the band Giant
- John G. Trapper: WWII Canadian military officer and recipient of the Order of Canada
- Jack Trapper: pseudonym of Jack Tripper, the fictional main character in the American sitcom Three's Company
- Christopher Trapper: American singer and songwriter
- Brian Trapper: American pop culture illustrator
- Professor Trapper: fictional character in the Canadian-American animated television series Danger Mouse
- Marcus Trapper: fictional character in the British CGI animated television show Dinopaws
- Sterling Trapper: fictional character in the American historical action drama television series Hell on Wheels
- Jodie Trapper: fictional character in the American romantic comedy film Just Friends
- Rachel Trapper: fictional character in the 2009 American romantic comedy movie Bride Wars