Find out how popular the last name Cavender is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Cavender.

Cavender, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Cavender surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cavender in America

Cavender is the 7470th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cavender surname appeared 4,460 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Cavender.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cavender to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Cavender

The surname Cavender is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, derived from the Old English words "cafer" or "cafre," meaning a small enclosure or pen for keeping livestock, and "hendre," a herdsman or keeper of such an enclosure. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to an occupation or location associated with livestock management.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century, with variations in spelling such as Cavender, Cavyndyr, and Cavyndre appearing in historical records. One of the earliest known references is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, which mentions a John Cavyndyr.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire, where a Robert Cavendre was documented in 1349. This record provides evidence of the surname's presence in the region during that time period.

The Cavender surname has also been linked to various place names across England, such as Cavendish in Suffolk and Cavendish Close in Derbyshire. These locations may have influenced the spelling and distribution of the name over time.

Notable individuals throughout history who bore the surname Cavender include:

1. William Cavender (c. 1560 - 1626), an English merchant and Member of Parliament for Chippenham during the reign of King James I.

2. John Cavender (1623 - 1692), an early settler in Virginia who established a prominent family in the American colonies.

3. Mary Cavender (1676 - 1748), a Quaker preacher and writer from Pennsylvania known for her religious works and advocacy for women's rights.

4. Thomas Cavender (1795 - 1854), a British artist renowned for his landscape paintings and etchings of rural scenes.

5. Samuel Cavender (1810 - 1891), an American inventor and pioneer in the development of agricultural machinery, including the Cavender Grain Drill.

While the Cavender surname has evolved over centuries and spread across different regions, its origins can be traced back to the occupation and geography of medieval England, reflecting the rich tapestry of language and culture that has shaped many family names.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cavender

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Cavender.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Cavender was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Cavender has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Cavender was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Cavender, please contact us.

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