CuO (Copper Oxide) nanoparticles were synthesized by a simple coprecipitation route by using copper acetate, sodium hydroxide as precursors and cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) as surfactant. For the purpose of the study, the surfactant-CTAB treated and non-treated samples were synthesized separately. Both the synthesized samples were studied to understand their structural and optical properties. The formation of CuO and its crystallinity was confirmed by XRD. Further, the optical studies showed a defined blue shift in CTAB treated sample which is clear evidence that the particles undergo confinement when they are nano-regime. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.