This is a variant of the Anglo-Saxon occupational name "Cooper" which was used to denote someone who made and repaired wooden vessels such as barrels, tubs, buckets, casks and vats. The derivation is from the early Middle English "couper" or "cowper", apparently itself derived from the Germanic "kuper", from "kup" a tub or container, which was borrowed into English as "coop" to become "cup". The prevalence of surnames connected with the word "cooper" illustrate the importance of this specialist trade in the Middle Ages. There are seven forms of the surname in the modern idiom: Cooper, Copper, Coupar, Coope, Coop, Cupper and Coupe. One 'Edwarde Coope' was baptised in London in 1588. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert le Cupere. which was dated 1176-7, in the "Pipe Rolls of Surrey". during the reign of King Henry 11, known as "The Builder of Churches" 1154 - 1189. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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