Napier Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Napier last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Napier last name
Meaning of the Napier last name: keeper of table linen. Napier is a Scottish and English surname for the servant in charge of the table linen in a great household, from Old French naperier, from nape, "tablecloth". The last name is famous through John Napier of Merchiston, the Scottish inventor of logarithms in 1614.
Arms associated with the Napier name
Coats of arms associated with the Napier surname follow Scottish heraldry, where each blazon belongs to one bearer.
Get your full Napier family history
This is only a glimpse of the Napier story. The full Napier history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Napier coat of arms. Get the full Napier report.
Napier name FAQ
What does the Napier name mean?
keeper of table linen. Common variants include Naper, Napper.
Where does the Napier surname come from?
It originates in Scotland, and is also found in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and England.
Is there a Napier coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Napier coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library, 1946); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).