This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Kaplan family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Kaplan Family History

Kaplan Surname Meaning

Jewish (Ashkenazic): surname sometimes used as a translation of Cohen from German Kaplan or Polish kapłan ‘chaplain curate’. German, Swedish, Czech, Slovenian, and Croatian; Slovak (Kaplán); Polish (Kapłan); Hungarian (Káplán): status name for a deacon, chaplain, or curate ultimately from Late Latin capellanus (see Chaplin) or a nickname for someone resembling a clergyman.

Turkish: ornamental name or nickname from kaplan ‘tiger’ possibly applied to someone thought to resemble a tiger, typically in having indomitable courage or spirit.

American shortened form of Greek Kaplanis, from Turkish kaplan ‘tiger’ (see 3 above) or of any of its patronymics and other derivatives e.g. Kaplanidis and Kaplanoglou.

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


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Kaplan family from?

You can see how Kaplan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kaplan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Kaplan families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 26 Kaplan families living in London. This was about 79% of all the recorded Kaplan's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Kaplan families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kaplan surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Kaplan ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Tailors Presser and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Kaplan. 60% of Kaplan men worked as a Tailors Presser and 94% of Kaplan women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kaplan were Rabbi and None.

View Census Data for Kaplan | 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 1939

  • Tailors Presser
    60%
  • Rabbi
    40%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    94%
  • None
    7%

What Kaplan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 102,000 census records available for the last name Kaplan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kaplan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Kaplan

Passenger Lists

There are 57,000 immigration records available for the last name Kaplan. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Kaplan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 22,000 military records available for the last name Kaplan. For the veterans among your Kaplan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kaplan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kaplan family history

Discover More

What is the average Kaplan lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Kaplan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Kaplan in 1940 was 44, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kaplan

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kaplan ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Kaplan family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial