Surname Käsper - Meaning and Origin
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Revisiting Ancestral Roots: Discovering the Journey of the Surname, Käsper through iGENEA DNA Analysis
Embarking on a captivating journey with iGENEA DNA analysis unlocked the historical journey of the surname, Käsper. Dive into the immersive experience that unravels the Germanic roots, merchant ancestry, and a transformed understanding of my identity.
V. Käsper
read moreKäsper: What does the surname Käsper mean?
Käsper is an ancient Germanic last name which has its roots in the word ‘caspar’, which was a shortened form of the name ‘Gaspard’. Traditionally, ‘Gaspard’ was a Latinized version of the Hebrew name ‘Jehoshaphat’, meaning ‘God Judgeth’. As such, the surname Käsper is thought to originally have denoted someone who was a judge, or a leader.
Over time, references to the name Käsper have been found in records from many different European countries, including Austria, Hungary, Germany and Switzerland. However, it is particularly associated with the region of Austria and Bavaria in Germany.
Wherever it is found, the Käsper surname is generally believed to refer to a profession or a personal characteristic of a long-past ancestor. This could be a leader or a judge, as suggested by the original meaning of the name, a hard worker or a tradesperson, or even someone who had character traits associated with the name, such as being wise or principled.
The traditional German pronunciation of Käsper is [KES-per], and so the modern spelling of the name is often seen as Kasper, Casper or Gasper, as well as sometimes being spelt with a ‘k’ instead of a ‘c’.
Order DNA origin analysisKäsper: Where does the name Käsper come from?
The German-origin surname Käsper is still common today in several countries, including Sweden, Denmark, Austria, Germany, and even the United States of America.
In Sweden, the surname Käsper is most heavily concentrated in the populous southern region. The largest Swedish cities to host a Käsper population are Malmo, Orebro, and Gothenburg. In Denmark, much like Sweden, the surname is primarily found in the south, mostly concentrated near Odense and Aarhus.
Käsper is also fairly common across the border in Austria, particularly in the cities of Vienna and Salzburg. The surname can also be found in the rural regions of southwestern Germany, in the state of Hesse.
A smaller, yet still committed population of Käsper people exist in the United States of America, spanning the northern and Atlantic states. The majority of the American population lives in New York and Pennsylvania, along with people from more recent generations living in California and Texas.
Overall, the Käsper surname is still alive and well throughout the countries mentioned above, with some of the strongest concentrations in modern-day Scandinavia.
Variations of the surname Käsper
The surname Käsper is derived from a Middle High German nickname and has several variant spellings and related surnames. The variants of the original spelling include Käspär, Käspher, Käsperle, Kässper, Kässpär, Kässpher, Käsperlin, and Kaesper.
Other related surnames derived from Käsper include Kasper, Kaspar, Casper, Cesper, Kayser, and Kasperle. Currently, the surname is found in both Germany and Austria and is also seen in the United States spelling as Kasper.
The derivative Käsper is thought to have begun as a nickname for a successful or skillful person. Some believe it to have been derived from the Greek "katharos", which translates to pure or innocent.
In early records, it can be found as a first name and as a nickname for a wealthy person. The first recorded bearer of the surname appeared in the records of Bavaria in the year 1348. In the Bavarian record, it is spelled as Hasprioss.
In the medieval period, variants of the name were often found associated with the profession of potters although this connection is not clear. An example is Frederik Kaesper, a potter recorded in Meissen, Saxony in the 1700s.
The occurrence of the surname Käsper and its variants is fairly widespread across Europe and North America. In the United States, the name was brought to America by German and Briish settlers in the 1700s and 1800s and now accounts for over six thousand people across the US.
Famous people with the name Käsper
- Helge Käsper (Neurologist and German professor of medicine)
- Paulo Käsper (Brazilian footballer)
- Kätlin Käsper (Estonian swimmer)
- Eero Käsper (Estonian former Communist politician)
- Mekhail Käsper (Russian footballer)
- Martti Käsper (Estonian footballer)
- Peeter Käsper (Estonian sculptor)
- Paul Käsper (German artist)
- Brigitte Käsper (German chess grandmaster and International Master)
- Ewald Käsper (German conductor and composer)