The Copeland surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 55,850 people carried this name — #609 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 5,280 people counted. That is up 4% from 53,771 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Copeland surname

A habitational surname from Old English of someone from that area.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Copeland» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘of Coupland’.

An early record he cites: Johannes de Coupeland’, 1379 — Poll Tax, West Riding of Yorkshire.

His entry covers Copeland, Copland and Coupland.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 201 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 17 births for the Copeland name in 1890.

Most were registered in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 800 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Armagh and Antrim.”

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 15
Leinster 1
Munster 1

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In Scotland’s registers today

Copeland was recorded 23 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 1041st most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 49. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

122 families named Copeland, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 696 people lived in those households, 5.7 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 5 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

North Carolina 37
Massachusetts 28
South Carolina 13
Pennsylvania 10
Virginia 9
Maine 8
New Hampshire 4
New York 4
Maryland 4
Connecticut 3
Vermont 2

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 235 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Copeland in American newspapers,
1873–1926.

Newspaper page from The Brandon News carrying the name Copeland
The Brandon News 1921-01-20
Newspaper page from The Bozeman Courier carrying the name Copeland
The Bozeman Courier 1926-12-03
Newspaper page from New Orleans Republican carrying the name Copeland
New Orleans Republican 1873-07-27

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Copeland in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2020s.

64,388 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Copeland. The most, 22,009, date from the 1890s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in New South Wales, at 2.0 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 40,579
Victoria 9,990
Queensland 5,299
South Australia 3,463
Tasmania 2,542
Western Australia 2,336
ACT (Canberra) 51
Northern Territory 32

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Copeland.

Who carried it

People named Copeland,
with a public archive behind them.

  • William Taylor Copeland
    William Taylor Copeland 1797–1868 · politician
  • William Taylor Copeland
    William Taylor Copeland 1797–1868 · politician
  • Alan Copeland d. 2022 · composer
  • John Copeland Cole d. 1987 · politician
  • Matilda Catherine Copeland d. 1916
  • Henry Copeland 1710–1754 · furniture designer

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Copeland,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States3,562 records

3,562 records of the Copeland name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 1,743
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 658
  • Other U.S. records 1,161
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record David Lee Copeland

    Born 1949; from Dudley, Georgia. U.S. Army, construction and utilities worker; died in an accident 1969 in Ba Xugen, South Vietnam. Buried at New Providence Cemetery, Cadwell, Georgia.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record William F. Copeland

    Born 1917 in North Carolina. Enlisted 1941 at New York City; cabinetmaker. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1986, buried at Calverton National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Elizabeth Copeland

    Arrived at New York in 1858 aboard the City of New York from Liverpool, aged 22; cotton spinner. From Carlisle, England.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 3,562 records for Copeland in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia714 records

714 records of the Copeland name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 404
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 121
  • Other Australian records 189
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record John Copeland

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Rodney, sailing from Queenstown in 1852. Native of Newry, Down. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1854. Married 1855 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 40.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Diana Copeland

    Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1836. Married 1836 in Green Ponds, Tasmania.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Peter Copeland

    Arrived in Victoria in 1853 aboard the Roxburgh Castle, aged 40; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 714 records for Copeland in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada455 records

455 records of the Copeland name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 358
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 23
  • Other Canadian records 74
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record James E. Copeland

    Killed in 1954 at the Springhill No. 2 mine, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Thos Copeland

    Came to Ontario in 1869 aboard the Ottawa, bound for Guelph, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Ernest Hewitt Copeland

    Buried in 1993 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 75.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.

Showing 3 of 455 records for Copeland in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom35 records

35 records of the Copeland name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 20
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 8
  • Other British records 7
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Janet Copeland

    Buried in 1921 at Ballengeich Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 89.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Thomas Walmsley Copeland

    Will proved in 1870; of Llandudno, Carnarvon.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record H. E. Copeland

    Middlesex.Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 35 records for Copeland in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Netherlands9 records

9 records of the Copeland name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 7
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 2
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Garfield Henry Copeland

    Married in 1946 in Nijmegen; farmer.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Dorothy Margaret May Copeland

    In the population register of Vlissingen; born 1902 in York.

    Open Archives, Gemeentearchief Vlissingen (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Tom Henry Copeland

    In the population register of Middelburg; born 1877.

    Open Archives, Zeeuws Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 9 records for Copeland in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

France7 records

7 records of the Copeland name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Felicien Julien Copeland

    Born 1914 in Montreuil (Pas-de-Calais); died 1983 in Avesnes-sur-Helpe (Nord).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Camille Marceline Copeland

    Born 1895 in Paris; died 1978 in Créteil (Val-de-Marne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Douglas William Copeland

    Born 1945 in Great Britain; died 1998 in Sore (Landes).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Copeland in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

New Zealand3 records

3 records of the Copeland name in New Zealand
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 2
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Owen Braithwaite Copeland

    Died 1987, aged 74; buried at Omahu Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 1 of 3 records for Copeland in New Zealand.

Counts: Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Copeland.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Copeland is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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