The Kaplan Family History

What Does the Kaplan Surname Mean? Historical Origins Explained

The surname Kaplan has its roots in German, Yiddish, and French origins. The French variant of the name can also be found in England. Its Latin equivalent is capellanus, which derives from the Old Norman French term caplain and the Old French as well as medieval English chapelain. This designation signifies a charity priest, specifically one entrusted with the daily celebration of mass in a church setting. This surname appears in several variations, including Kaplin, Chaplain, Caplin, Caplan, Chapling, Caplen, and Kapelaan. In England, bearers of the Kaplan name are primarily found in London and northern regions of the country. The earliest instances of the Kaplan family in America trace back to Pennsylvania during the 1860s. Over time, many Kaplan families have established their residences in New York, Massachusetts, and Illinois. Notable individuals with the Kaplan surname include Gabe Kaplan, a television actor; Bruce Eric Kaplan, a prominent cartoonist recognized as BEK for The New Yorker; Viktor Kaplan, a Czech engineer credited with the invention of the Kaplan turbine; Nathan 'Jack the Dropper' Kaplan, a notorious gangster from 1920s New York City; Louis 'Kid' Kaplan, a Russian-born American world champion featherweight boxer and Hall of Fame inductee; and Ira Kaplan, a singer-songwriter who co-founded the band Yo La Tengo in the early 1980s.