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Karper Family History

Karper Name Meaning

German and Jewish (from Poland and Germany): derivative of Karp . Compare Carper . Dutch: metonymic occupational name from Middle Dutch carpere ‘carp’ for someone who catches or breeds carp in a hatchery or a nickname for someone as lively as a carp can be or a topographic or habitational name referring to a house distinguished by the sign of a carp.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Kerper, Karpel, Karber, Kapper, Karner, Karger, Kamper, Kasner

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Karper family from?

You can see how Karper families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Karper family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Karper families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there were 3 Karper families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 60% of all the recorded Karper's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Karper families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Karper surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Karper ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Karper. 22% of Karper men worked as a Laborer and 18% of Karper women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Karper were Clerk and House Work. .

View Census Data for Karper | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    22%
  • Farmer
    17%
  • Salesman
    10%
  • Clerk
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    18%
  • Housework
    10%
  • Saleslady
    8%
  • House Work
    8%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Karper family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Karper. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Karper census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Karper

Passenger Lists

There are 726 immigration records available for the last name Karper. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Karper immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 483 military records available for the last name Karper. For the veterans among your Karper ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Karper military records

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What is the average Karper lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Karper life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1966, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Karper in 1956 was 45, and 70 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Karper

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