Surname Topper - Meaning and Origin

Topper: What does the surname Topper mean?

The last name Topper is believed to be of German origin. It is a habitational name derived from places called Topper, which were named after the medieval personal name Toppo, which is a diminutive of the masculine given name Teppo. The surname Topper is believed to have first appeared in Bavaria, a southwest German state, in the 13th century.

Topper is also an occupational name for a tip giver, a person who gave tips to the beggars in exchange for food. This name originally referred to an informant or spy who gave information and tips to those who police or investigate the activities of others. It could also have been a nickname for someone with an especially good sense of humor or intelligence.

The surname Topper is not particularly common today, but it is a relatively widespread surname across Europe. In the United States, the surname was first seen in Pennsylvania, where it originated in the 1800s. The most common variation of Topper is Topor, which is the Jewish version of the name. It is also a popular surname in Poland, where it is thought to originally have been derived from the name Toporski.

Overall, the last name Topper is believed to be of German origin, and it is believed to have first appeared in Bavaria in the 13th century. It is also an occupational name for a tip giver, and it is a relatively widespread surname across Europe and the United States.

Topper: Where does the name Topper come from?

The surname Topper is generally believed to have its origins in Germany, and today is most commonly seen in the United States and Germany. In the U.S., it is most widespread in the Midwest, particularly Wisconsin and Nebraska. It is also found in the New England area, with Connecticut having by far the highest concentration of people with the last name. In Germany, the name is mostly concentrated in the southwestern region of the country near Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Hamburg.

Besides the U.S. and Germany, the Topper surname can be found in Austria, England, Scotland and Sweden. It is estimated that today, there are close to 11,000 individuals who bear the last name Topper. The earliest recorded use of the name was in Germany in the late 12th century, with documents being found in the German region of Swabia. Following the migration of people from Europe to the Americas, the name became widespread in the U.S., especially in the Midwest and New England regions.

Overall, the last name Topper is not an overly common name. However, it is still found in low to mid-level populations in both the United States and Germany, with smaller numbers in other parts of Europe.

Variations of the surname Topper

The surname Topper is of English origin and has a variety of variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.

The most common variant for the surname Topper is the form Topor, which derives from its French and German variants. The spelling of Topper is often seen with diacritical marks, such as Topöhr (in German) and Tøppoer or Topper (in Danish). Further variations of the spelling include Topperr, Toppers, Toppar, and Toopar.

In terms of surnames of the same origin, variants of the Topper surname can include Popper, Copper, Koppar, Koppman, Kopman, Topman, Opperman, and Tupper.

Other variants of Topper seen in Dutch and North German dialects include Tappen and Topen, as well as Topt and Topte. The Polish equivalent of the Topper family is Topor. Finally, the Scandinavian equivalent of Topper is Tøpper, and its Spanish derivative is Tapar.

Despite the variants in spelling and surname origin, the Topper family can trace its roots to a single English origin.

Famous people with the name Topper

• Julianne Topper: American actress and model
• B. W. Topper: American motion picture producer
• Hilary Topper: American public relations executive
• John Topper: American football player
• Tim Topper: British actor
• Ty Topper: American media entrepreneur
• David Topper: American mathematician
• Richard Topper: American lawyer
• Michael Topper: American board certified attorney
• Arthur Topper: American television director

Other surnames

ToppeTöppe