karps

Karps is a surname used in Baltic and Ashkenazi Jewish communities. In Latvian usage, Karps is a masculine form of the surname, with the feminine form typically rendered as Karpa. The name often reflects historical patronymic or familial origins, and its precise inception can vary by family line. Spelling variations and transliterations are common, as the name appears in records in several languages that have circulated among Baltic and Jewish populations.

Geographic distribution and migration patterns have contributed to the presence of the surname beyond its regions of origin. Karps can be found in Latvia and Lithuania, as well as in Israel, the United States, Canada, and other countries with Baltic or Jewish diasporas. Immigration waves in the 19th and 20th centuries helped spread the name internationally, sometimes with changes in spelling to fit local alphabets.

Notable individuals with the surname Karps have appeared in various fields, though no single figure is universally identified by the surname alone. As with many surnames, Karps may be part of longer family names through marriage or regional naming customs.

See also: Karp (surname), Carp (disambiguation) for related names and potential alternative spellings.