Kaplan is a

surname In many societies, a surname, family name, or last name is the mostly hereditary portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family. It is typically combined with a given name to form the full name of a person, although several give ...

that is of ultimately

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

origins. There is also a historically unrelated surname in Turkey.

History

In European languages

Etymologically, the word originates from the Latin term, ''capellanus'' or ''cappellanus'', an office given to persons appointed to watch over the sacred cloak (cappa or capella) of

St Martin of Tours Martin of Tours (; 316/3368 November 397) was the third bishop of Tours. He is the patron saint of many communities and organizations across Europe, including France's Third Republic. A native of Pannonia (present-day Hungary), he converted ...

. Its derivations were then found in many other European languages, including Yiddish, German, English, French, Czech, Polish, Norwegian, Croatian, and Hungarian. The French form derived from the old Norman French word "caplain", which gave the old French and medieval English word "chapelain", both meaning "charity priest", who was a priest who was endowed to sing

Mass Mass is an Intrinsic and extrinsic properties, intrinsic property of a physical body, body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the physical quantity, quantity of matter in a body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physi ...

daily on behalf of the souls of the dead. Hence the name is an occupational name for a clergyman or perhaps a servant of one. From there the word and name spread. Modern variations on Kaplan include Caplan, Chaplain, Chapling, Caplen, Copland, Kapelan, and Kaplin.

In Turkish

The name is also very popular in Turkey, where the meaning of Kaplan is

tiger The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is a large Felidae, cat and a member of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Asia. It has a powerful, muscular body with a large head and paws, a long tail and orange fur with black, mostly vertical stripes. It is ...

. When the Turks adopted surnames after Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's surname reform, animals as surnames such as

lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'', native to Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body (biology), body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the ...

(Aslan) and tiger (Kaplan) were very common.

Spread

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

the term ''Kaplan'' means ''chaplain'' or ''curate''. The word is extant in other languages as well, for example in

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Polish people, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken * Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin ...

where the term ''kapłan'' translates as ''priest'', in Hungarian 'káplán' means a priest of the royal court or that of an aristocrat; in Norwegian where it also has the meaning of priest while retaining the original, elongated form. Kaplan or Caplan is also a surname common among

Ashkenazi Jews Ashkenazi Jews ( ; also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim) form a distinct subgroup of the Jewish diaspora, that emerged in the Holy Roman Empire around the end of the first millennium CE. They traditionally speak Yiddish, a language ...

, usually indicating descent from the priestly lineage (the

kohanim Kohen (, ; , ، Arabic كاهن , Kahen) is the Hebrew word for "priest", used in reference to the Aaronic priesthood, also called Aaronites or Aaronides. They are traditionally believed, and halakhically required, to be of direct patriline ...

), similar to the etymological origin of the common

Hebrew Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...

surname ''

Cohen Cohen () is a surname of Jewish, Samaritan and Biblical origins (see: Kohen). It is a very common Jewish surname (the most common in Israel). Cohen is one of the four Samaritan last names that exist in the modern day. Many Jewish immigrants ente ...

''. One of the earliest modern records of Kaplan as a family name is that of Abraham Kaplan in 1698. Distinguished bearers of the name include the Polish rabbi and philanthropist Nachum ben Usiel Kaplan (1811–1879), the

Latvia Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to t ...

n-born Hebrew poet (1826–1887) and the

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

n-born

Zionist Zionism is an Ethnic nationalism, ethnocultural nationalist movement that emerged in History of Europe#From revolution to imperialism (1789–1914), Europe in the late 19th century that aimed to establish and maintain a national home for the ...

workers' leader

Eliezer Kaplan Eliezer Kaplan (; ; 27 January 1891 – 13 July 1952) was a Zionism, Zionist activist, Israeli politician, one of the signatories of the Declaration of Independence (Israel), Israeli declaration of independence and the country's first Finance M ...

(1891–1952), the first

minister of finance A ministry of finance is a ministry or other government agency in charge of government finance, fiscal policy, and financial regulation. It is headed by a finance minister, an executive or cabinet position . A ministry of finance's portfolio ...

of the State of

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

. Not all Jews bearing this name belong to the priestly caste; at one time in the Russian empire male Jews other than priests were required to join the Russian army for 25 years, and a number changed their surnames to Kaplan in the hope of gaining exemption from military service. Patrick Hanks & Flavia Hodges ‘A Dictionary of Surnames’ OUP 1989 ‘Kaplan’

Notable people and characters named Kaplan

Abraham Kaplan Abraham Kaplan (June 11, 1918 – June 19, 1993) was an American philosopher, known best for being the first philosopher to systematically examine the behavioral sciences in his book ''The Conduct of Inquiry'' (1964). His thinking was influenced ...

, American philosopher *

Ahmet Kaplan Ahmet Kaplan (born 1 January 2002) is a Turkish wheelchair tennis player who competes in the Wheelchair tennis classification#Classes, quad class of international level events. Career 2022 Kaplan started his wheelchair tennis career competin ...

(born 2002), Turkish wheelchair tennis player *

Ahmetcan Kaplan Ahmetcan Kaplan (; born 16 January 2003) is a Turkish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Eredivisie club Ajax. Club career A youth product of Trabzonspor, Kaplan signed his first professional contract with the club on 10 Augu ...

, Turkish footballer * Abraham Kohen Kaplan, Russian writer *

Alice Kaplan Alice Yaeger Kaplan (born June 22, 1954) is an American scholar of French literature. She is the Sterling Professor of French at Yale University and has written extensively on 20th-century French literature, history, and intellectual life. Earl ...

, American literary critic, translator, historian, and educator *

Anatoli Lvovich Kaplan Anatoli Lvovich Kaplan (, ), (1902 – 1980) was a Soviet-era Russian painter, sculptor and printmaker, whose works often reflect his Jewish origins. Life Kaplan was born in Rogachov, Mogilev Governorate, Russian Empire (now Rahachow, Belarus ...

, Russian artist and painter * Andreas Kaplan, German professor of marketing * Anna Kaplan, American politician * Arie Kaplan, American writer *

Artie Kaplan Artie Kaplan (born 1935) is an American recording artist, songwriter and a session musician. He has also been a music contractor where he was hired to musicians for sessions. In the 1960s, he was casting musicians for sessions for Aldon Music. ...

, American recording artist, songwriter and a session musician *

Aryeh Kaplan Aryeh Moshe Eliyahu Kaplan (; October 23, 1934 – January 28, 1983) was an American Orthodox Judaism, Orthodox rabbi, author, and translator best known for his The Living Torah and Nach, Living Torah edition of the Torah and extensive Kabbalah, ...

, American rabbi * Avriel Kaplan, American singer in Pentatonix *

Avrohom Eliyahu Kaplan Avrohom Eliyahu (Elya) Kaplan (; 1890–1924) was a prominent Ashkenazi Orthodox rabbi. He was born in Kėdainiai, a town in the Kaunas County in Lithuania. He was born an orphan, and named Avrohom Elya for his deceased father, who had died sudde ...

, Lithuanian rabbi *

Ben Caplan Ben Caplan is a Canadian folk musician from Halifax, Nova Scotia. He often performs with his band the Casual Smokers, and his first full-length studio album, ''In the Time of the Great Remembering'', was released on October 20, 2011. His secon ...

, Canadian folk musician * Billy Kaplan, fictional superhero from Marvel Comics *

Bob Kaplan Robert Philip "Bob" Kaplan, (December 27, 1936 – November 5, 2012) was a Canadian politician and lawyer. Life and career Born in Toronto, Ontario, to Solomon and Pearl Kaplan and brother of Michael Kaplan. Kaplan attended and graduated from ...

, Canadian politician *

Bruce Eric Kaplan Bruce Eric Kaplan (born ) is an American cartoonist whose single-panel cartoons frequently appear in ''The New Yorker''. His cartoons are known for their signature simple style and often dark humor. Kaplan is also a screenwriter and has worked ...

Cary Kaplan Cary Kaplan is the president and co-owner of the sports marketing firm Cosmos Sports & Entertainment with his wife Amelia Kaplan, which launched in 2003.

, sports marketer * David Kaplan, multiple people * Deborah Kaplan, American screenwriter and film director * Deborah Kaplan (disability activist), American lawyer * Dena Kaplan, actress, DJ and singer *

Dovid Kaplan Dovid Kaplan () is an Orthodox Judaism, Orthodox Jewish rabbi, Orthodox Jewish outreach, kiruv educator, author, and speaker. He is known for his inspirational and humorous storytelling both in his international speaking engagements and in his ''I ...

, lecturer, author and speaker *

Edgar Kaplan Edgar Kaplan (April 18, 1925 – September 7, 1997) was an American bridge player and one of the principal contributors to the game. His career spanned six decades and covered every aspect of bridge. He was a teacher, author, editor, administrator ...

(1925–1997), American bridge player *

Edith Kaplan Edith F. Kaplan (February 16, 1924 – September 3, 2009) was an American psychologist, and a pioneer of neuropsychological tests who did most of her work at the Boston VA Hospital. Kaplan is known for her promotion of clinical neuropsychology as ...

, American lead creator of a neuropsychological test battery * Elaine D. Kaplan, judge *

, Israeli politician * Fanny Kaplan, Russian revolutionary and attempted assassin of Lenin *

Felix Kaplan Felix C. "F.C." Kaplan (May 17, 1897 in Owatonna, Minnesota – July 5, 1989) was an American politician and businessman. He was the son of Josef Karel Kaplan, an early Minnesota pioneer. Kaplan attended Owatonna High School, then went to the Uni ...

(1897–1989), American businessman and politician *

Fred Kaplan (biographer) Fred Kaplan (born 1937) is distinguished Professor Emeritus of English at Queens College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Biography He was born in 1937 in The Bronx, New York, and attended Lafayette High School (New ...

Fred Kaplan (journalist) Fred M. Kaplan (born July 4, 1954) is an American author and journalist. His weekly "War Stories" column for ''Slate'' magazine covers international relations and U.S. foreign policy. Biography Kaplan was born in Hutchinson, Kansas, to Julius ...

Gabe Kaplan Gabriel Weston Kaplan (born March 31, 1945) is an American actor, comedian, and professional poker player. He played the title character in the 1970s sitcom '' Welcome Back, Kotter''. He later became a professional poker player and a commentat ...

, American actor, comedian, poker player * Gilbert Kaplan (1941–2016), American businessman, journalist and conductor * Gilbert B. Kaplan, American attorney and government official *

Gisela Kaplan Gisela Kaplan is an Australian ethologist who primarily specialises in ornithology and primatology. She is a professor emeritus in animal behaviour at the University of New England, Australia, and also honorary professor of the Queensland B ...

, Australian sociologist and author * Gregory Kaplan, American historian *

Hamit Kaplan Hamit Kaplan (20 September 1934 – 5 January 1976) was a Turkish World and Olympic champion sports wrestler of Circassian descent in the Heavyweight class. He won the gold, silver and bronze medal in men's f ...

, Turkish wrestler * Harold Irwin Kaplan, American psychiatrist * Harold S. Kaplan, Canadian architect * Howard Kaplan, American singer better known as

Howard Kaylan Howard Kaylan (born Howard Lawrence Kaplan; June 22, 1947) is an American retired musician and songwriter, who was a founding member and lead singer of the 1960s rock band The Turtles, and, with bandmate and friend Mark Volman, a member of the 1 ...

Hyman Kaplan Hyman Kaplan, or H*Y*M*A*N K*A*P*L*A*N as he habitually signs himself, is a fictional character in a series of well-received humorous stories by Leo Rosten, published under the pseudonym "Leonard Q. Ross" in ''The New Yorker'' in the 1930s and lat ...

, fictional character created by Leo Rosten *

Ira Kaplan Ira David Kaplan (born January 7, 1957) is a co-founder, vocalist, guitarist and songwriter in the American indie rock band Yo La Tengo. He is married to the band's co-founder Georgia Hubley. A graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, Kaplan formed Y ...

, musician * Irving Kaplan (chemist), American chemist *

James Kaplan James C. Kaplan (born September 10, 1951) is an American novelist, journalist, and biographer. Biography He was born in New York City and grew up in rural Pennsylvania and suburban New Jersey. He matriculated at New York University and graduated ...

* Jeffrey Kaplan, American game designer *

JJ Kaplan JJ Kaplan (; born May 28, 1997) is an American-Israeli"JJ Kaplan basketball profi ...

(born 1997), American-Israeli basketball player * Jon Kaplan, multiple people *

Jonathan Kaplan Jonathan Kaplan (born November 25, 1947) is an American film producer and film director, director. His film ''The Accused (1988 film), The Accused'' (1988) earned actress Jodie Foster the Academy Awards, Oscar for Academy Award for Best Actress ...

, American film producer *

(born 1966), South African rugby referee * Jozef Kapláň (born 1986), Slovak football player *

Juliette Kaplan Marlene Juliette Kaplan (2 October 1939 – 10 October 2019) was a British actress who was most famous for playing the role of Pearl Sibshaw in the BBC comedy ''Last of the Summer Wine'', from 1985 to 2010. Early years Kaplan was born in Bou ...

(1939–2019), British actress * Justin Daniel "Joe" Kaplan (1925–2014), American writer and editor *

Karel Kaplan Karel Kaplan (28 August 1928 – 12 March 2023) was a Czech historian. He specialized in the World War II and post-World War II periods in Czechoslovakia. He wrote books about Czech political trials during the 1950s, the situation of Jews in Centra ...

, Czech historian *

Kivie Kaplan Kivie Kaplan (April 1, 1904 – May 5, 1975) was an Americans, American businessman and philanthropist. He served as president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) from 1966 until his death. Early life and edu ...

Kyle Kaplan Kyle Joseph Kaplan (born 16 July 1990) is an American actor. Life and career At the age of 13, Kaplan toured with Jim Henson's Bear and the Big Blue House Live! across the U.S. and United Kingdom for ten months. He also performed at the Los Ang ...

, American actor *

Lance Kaplan Lance Kaplan is an electrical engineer at the Army Research Laboratory in Adelphi, Maryland. He received a B.S. in electrical engineering from Duke University in 1989, followed by an M.S. and Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of So ...

, American engineer * Louis Kaplan, Russian-born US boxer *

Marty Kaplan Martin Kaplan (born August 21, 1950) is an American professor and former studio executive and writer. He teaches at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and is the founding director of the Norman Lear Center for the study of ...

* Mehmet Kaplan, Turkish-born Swedish politician * Melissa Kaplan, musician/singer with Splashdown and Universal Hall Pass * Melvin Kaplan, oboist and founder of the Vermont Mozart Festival *

Metin Kaplan Metin Kaplan (born 14 November 1952) is the leader of the Islamic extremist movement ''Kalifatsstaat'' (" Caliphate State") which is based in Cologne, Germany. Kalifatsstaat Kaplan was born in the Turkish province of Erzurum. Kaplan, who was p ...

* Michael Kaplan, American biologist * Michael Kaplan, American costume designer * Michel Kaplan, French Byzantinist *

Mordecai Kaplan Mordecai Menahem Kaplan (June 11, 1881 – November 8, 1983) was an American Conservative rabbi, writer, Jewish educator, professor, theologian, philosopher, activist, and religious leader who founded the Reconstructionist movement of Judaism al ...

, rabbi, founder of Reconstructionist branch of Judaism * Morton Kaplan * Murat Kaplan *

Nachum Kaplan Reb Menachem Nachum ben Uzziel Kaplan (1811 – October 25, 1879) was a Lithuanian Talmudist, philanthropist,Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography: *Gurvich, in ''Razsvyct'', 1879, No. 7; *Lipshitz, ''Nekrolog Rabbi Nokhim iz Grodno'' (reprinted from ...

, preacher and philanthropist *

Nathan Kaplan "Kid Dropper" Nathan Caplin or Kaplan (August 3, 1891 – August 28, 1923), also known as Jack the Dropper, was an American gangster who controlled labor racketeering and extortion in New York City during the post-World War I period into the ear ...

, American gangster * Nathan J. Kaplan, American jurist and politician * Nathan O. Kaplan, American biochemist *

Neil Kaplan Neil Charles Kaplan is an American voice actor, audiobook narrator, entertainer, and comedian. His most well known voice roles are Hawkmon from ''Digimon'', Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto from ''Bleach (TV series), Bleach'', Emperor Zarkon from ' ...

, American voice actor, audiobook narrator, entertainer and comedian * Nelly Kaplan, writer and film maker * Nomi Kaplan (born 1933), Lithuanian-Canadian photographer and artist * Ori Kaplan, Israeli jazz saxophonist and music producer * Perrin Kaplan * Philip J. Kaplan * Randall Kaplan, American businessman and investor * Robert D. Kaplan, American journalist * Robert S. Kaplan, American business school professor *

Ron Kaplan Ron Kaplan (; born May 1, 1970) is an Israeli former Olympic gymnast. A four-time national champion, he won a gold medal for Israel in the 1989 Maccabiah Games. He also competed for Israel in two European Men's Artistic Gymnastics Championships, ...

(born 1970), Israeli gymnast *Sam Kaplan, author of '' The Pedagogical State'' * Sam Kaplan (American football) (1898–1931), American football player * Samuel L. Kaplan (born 1936), American diplomat * Şeydanur Kaplan (born 2000), Turkish goalball player *

Stanley Kaplan Stanley Henry Kaplan (May 24, 1919 – August 23, 2009) was an American businessman and Test (student assessment), scholastic test preparation pioneer who founded Kaplan, Inc., in 1938. Early life and education Kaplan was born in New York City ...

, American businessman * Steve Kaplan *

Thomas Kaplan Thomas Scott Kaplan (born September 14, 1962) is a Franco-American businessman, philanthropist and art collector. He is the world's largest private collector of Rembrandt's works. Kaplan is the chairman and chief investment officer of The El ...

(born 1962), American investor and philanthropist *

Tomáš Kaplan Tomáš Kaplan (born 3 April 1978) is a Czech former professional footballer. He made 36 appearances in the Czech First League, playing for Vysočina Jihlava and Příbram Příbram (; or ''Przibram'') is a town in the Central Bohemian Regio ...

(born 1978), Czech footballer *

Tomasz Kapłan Tomasz Kapłan (born 14 January 1984) is a Polish professional Pool (cue sports), pool player. He won the 2011 European Pool Championships in the discipline of Straight pool. He has played on the Euro Tour since 2009, reaching the semi-finals on ...

(born 1984), Polish pool player * Valery Kaplan (born 1943), Soviet speed skater * Viktor Kaplan, Austrian inventor of the Kaplan turbine *

Yıldız Kaplan Yıldız Kaplan (born October 28, 1970, Bafra, Turkey) is a Turkish actress, fashion model, and pop singer. Biography She was born in Bafra, Samsun Province Samsun Province () is a province and metropolitan municipality of Turkey on the Bl ...

, Turkish model and pop singer * Yisrael Mendel Kaplan

References