This surname occurs in one form or another in nearly every county of Scotland. The name was in most cases derived from Cupar in Fife, but the occupation of 'cooper' has also contributed to its origin. The earliest record of the name is territorial, when dominus Salomone de Cupir appears as a charter witness in 1245 (RPSA., p. 44,282). The name, also, is common in early Fife records from the thirteenth to the fifteenth century, additional evidence of its local origin. An instance pointing to the occupation as the source of the name occurs in 1329 when payment to "Alanus cuparius" (i.e. the "cooper') is recorded (ER., I, p. 221). John Cupar held land in Aberdeen, 1281 (REA., II, p. 278). Christian Cowper who held lands in Ravenysden near Berwick in 1275 (Dryburgh) may have been a relative of Symon Coupare of Berwickshire who rendered homage in 1296 (Bain, II, p. 207). Michael Couper was tenant in vill de Butyll, 1370 (RHM., II, p. lx), and William Coupare had a tenement in Irvine, 1426 (Irvine, I, p. 130). Thomas de Cupro, canon of the church of St. Andrews, 1406 (RPSA., p. 10) Patrick Culpar (the l is silent), witness in Aberdeen, 1468, appears in 1477 as Cowlpar and his wife as Cowlper (REA., I, p. 300,212). Finla Couper in Belnakeill, Atholl, was fined for resetting outlawed Macgregors, 1613 (RPC., X, p. 151), Patrick Cowper in Tilliemad, 1634 (SCM., III, p. 134), and Helen Copper in Keltie, 1672 (Dunblane). William Cowper, the poet, writing to Mrs. Courtenay, one of his friends says: "While Pitcairne whistles for his family estate in Fifeshire, he will do well if he will sound a few notes for me. I am originally of the same shire, and a family of my name is still there" (New statistical account, IX, p. 344). Coupar 1479, Couppar 1662, Cowpar 1500, Cowpare 1512, Cuper 1286.

The occupation-a maker of barrels, tubs, &c.; originally from coop, to keep or contain anything, whether wine in a cask, or a hen in her prison. Anglo-Saxon kepan, cepan. See Cowper. Le Coupere, Coupare, Cuparius, &c., H.R.

Local: from the town of Couparin Fifeshire. The family are descended from Simon Cooper, 1296.

A name of occupation or trade. The name is also local, from Cupar, a town in Fifeshire, Scotland, which is derived from Cu—pyre, the inclosed fire, or Co, high, a beacon fire, or signal on the coast for ships. Pyre, a beacon fire, on a high place, is the origin of the word pier, a wharf or landing—place for ships; Danish, pyr and fyr, a lantern; πυρ, Greek, a fire; the whole landing—place in time was called the pier.

Cooper. —Distributed over the greater part of England, but rare or absent in the northern and south - western counties. It seems to have three principal centres, one in the northern midlands, including Cheshire, another in Sussex and Hants, and a third in Suffolk. The counties especially notable for Coopers are Cheshire, Derbyshire, Hants, Leicestershire and Rutland, Notts, Suffolk, Sussex, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire.