Surname Poppen - Meaning and Origin
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Poppen: What does the surname Poppen mean?
The last name Poppen is of German origin and is derived from the German word "poppen," which means to dance. The surname Poppen was likely derived from a trade, such as a dance teacher or master of ceremonies at a wedding or other event. The name was also likely an occupational name for a performer or entertainer. The name could also be derived from the German word “poppen,” meaning a puppet or rag doll, which historically was a term of endearment for children.
The original form of the name is likely to have been Pöppen or Poppen. In medieval Germany, the surname Poppen was most often found in northern Germany, where the name was popular and prevalent. Many members of the Poppen family were prominent citizens of the region, and the name is closely associated with the area.
Poppen is also a very common last name throughout Germany, as well as parts of Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands. It is a surname that is easy to recognize, and still a very popular name today. It is likely that the name was derived from a profession or occupational name at some point, but the origin of the name is mostly unclear and also likely to have some degree of regional variation.
Order DNA origin analysisPoppen: Where does the name Poppen come from?
The surname Poppen is most commonly found in The Netherlands, Germany and Scandinavia. Specifically, the surname is most strongly associated with the Netherlands, where it is still the 43rd-most-common family name in the country.
The surname appears to have originated in the 13th century, in the Dutch province of Friesland. Its earliest recorded instance is found in the 1319 charters of the city of Gröningen. Over the following centuries, the Poppen family spread across the country, eventually settling in other parts of the Netherlands, Germany, and Scandinavia.
Today, the Poppen surname can still be found throughout The Netherlands, with particularly high concentrations in the north and east of the country. It is still the 43rd-most-common family name in The Netherlands. Outside of The Netherlands, the Poppen surname can also be found in Germany and Scandinavia, albeit in much smaller numbers.
The diaspora outside of The Netherlands is largely attributed to migration and emigration from the Netherlands over the centuries, specifically during the 19th century when high numbers of people left to seek economic opportunities in nearby countries. As a result, there may still be pockets of the Poppen surname scattered across Europe, and there are even some instances of the Poppen surname being used in other parts of the world, such as Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.
Variations of the surname Poppen
The Poppen surname is derived from the German word “poppen” meaning “to pop” and can be spelled many different ways. Variants of the surname include Popen, Popp, Poppin, Popping, Poppons, Popon, Popins, Popings, Poopin, Poopen, Popanz, Popen, Popin, Popings, Popanza, Poopins, Poppinger, Poppenheimer, Popenheimer, and Popenhagen.
The surname could also be found spelled differently in countries where the spelling has been changed, such as Poopan in India or Popo in the Philippines. There are many other possible variants and spellings of the Poppen surname, depending on the region and language of origin.
In addition to the variants of the name, there are surnames associated with the Poppen surname that stem from a similar origin or derivative, such as Poppert, Popper, Poppinger, Poppin, Poppis, Popken, Poppell, Popkin, and Popkens.
Lastly, there are also variants of the Poppen surname that can be traced to the same root, such as Poppenreiter (meaning “rider”) in Germany, or Poppenvogel (meaning “bird”) in the Netherlands.
Whether the Poppen surname is spelled one way or another, all of these variations can be traced back to the same German word “poppen” meaning “to pop”.
Famous people with the name Poppen
- Melissa Poppen, the Canadian actress best known for her Fanboy series of films.
- William Poppen, an American artist, printmaker, and muralist.
- Daniel Poppen, a German singer and songwriter with a career spanning more than thirty years.
- Ekkehard Poppen, a German organist and music director who has served as organist at the Supreme Cathedral in Cologne.
- Mathias Poppen, a Grammy-award winning jazz drummer, composer and arranger from Denmark.
- Abigail Poppen, an American author, speaker, and entrepreneur credited with creating the home design and lifestyle brand Poppen Crafts.
- Richard Poppen, an AIDS researcher who specialized in HIV vaccines and treatments.
- Foppe Poppen, a Dutch footballer who captained NEC Nijmegen for a season.
- Gretta van Poppen, a Dutch singer-songwriter with a lengthy career in jazz standards and pop music.
- Pieter Poppen, a Dutch botanist and naturalist who traveled the world studying and collecting plants.