I have identified only two founding families in the United States with this surname:  My ancestors/relatives and a family that is based in Danville, VA.  The Danville Koplen family is of Jewish heritage, which may or may not mean that we are connected back in the "old" country.  If you feel that you may be connected to the Danville Koplen family, please contact Barry Koplen at poetscry@gamewood.net.  One of these days, that group of Koplen's will also have a genealogy webpage.

Koplen in the "OLD" country.

My Koplin/Koplen ancestor has been located Prossekel (see Wiesental) (LDS film #0808111 for 1832 Prossekel p. 237 line 2 lists his birth: 29 March 1832 baptized 8 April 1832 Father: Friedr. Koplin (n is not visible) Mother: Joh. Henr. Fenster (looks more like that than "Fuester") Father was evangelical, mother Catholic. Father was "Eigenthumer" which means he permanently had his farm. One sponsor was Henriette Fratzke. He was christened "Carl Friedrich." I plan on furthur checking earlier for their marriage where I will probably find the names completely spelled out and also the names of their fathers. That same year a Daniel Koplin had a boy Martin Friedrich. The spelling of the "C" in Carl looks more like a modern E than it does a C, but most of the capital E's on the page actually have a closed loop while your Carl's has just a bend. It might be a fancy stylized C based on an imaginative writing of the character, which should look more like a modern "L". The scribe for Prossekel writes with remarkably modern letters for the period. Carl Friedrich was the first boy born that year in Prossekel. Actually he was the first child born that year but a girl is listed in the church register before him because she was baptized before him. The spelling of "Koplin" isn't clear because the n isn't present, but the marriage documentation will probably give the current spelling. The mother's name is probably Johanna Henriette. The maiden name of the mother is spelled clearly but it's hard to read because of flourishes. I think it looks like "Fenster" but again the marriage record might make it clearer since it'll give her family name as well as that of her father's.  If the other parent Daniel Koplin is a relative then they spelled it as given, because his name is clearly written.

Since this family is so rare, there are no mailing lists or forums, but a few other links. 

Do you have a Waseca County MN or Marquette County WI site that needs to be added?  If so, please let me know.

Please send me email Anytime