Meaning of Last Name

Napier (ˈneɪpɪər) is a surname with an English, Scottish and Polish origin. The British surname Napier is derived from an occupational name for someone who sold or produced table linen; or for a naperer which was a servant who was responsible for the washing and storage of linen in a medieval household. The surname is derived from the Middle English, Old French napier, nappier which is a derivative of the Old French nappe meaning "table cloth". The earliest occurrences of the surname in the British Isles is of Peter Napier in 1148; Ralph (le) Naper, le Napier in 1167-71; and Reginald le Nappere in 1225. The surname is also a shortened form of the Polish surname Napierala.