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

Caves, 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 Caves surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Caves in America

Caves is the 16909th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Caves surname appeared 1,684 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Caves.

We can also compare 2010 data for Caves 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 Caves

The surname Caves is an English locational surname that originated from the Old English word "cafu" or the Old French word "cave," both meaning "cave" or "hollow." It is believed to have been derived from people who lived near caves or in areas known for their caves.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Caves can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of England, particularly in Yorkshire and Suffolk. One of the earliest documented references to the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire in 1273, where it is recorded as "Atte Cave."

In the 14th century, the surname was found in various forms, such as "de la Cave," "atte Cave," and "de Cave," indicating its locational origin. These variations suggest that the name referred to individuals residing near or associated with caves or hollow areas.

The Caves surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was John de Cave, a prominent landowner and knight who lived in the late 13th century and was mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1286.

Another notable figure was Sir Ambrose Cave (1504-1568), an English judge and legal scholar who served as a Justice of the King's Bench during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was born in Stanford, Northamptonshire, and played a significant role in the legal system of his time.

In the 17th century, Sir Thomas Cave (1610-1692) was a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament. He was born in Leicestershire and represented the county in the House of Commons during the English Civil War.

The Caves family also had connections to the peerage, with Sir Roger Cave (1655-1703) being created the 1st Baronet of Stanford in 1641. His descendants continued to hold the baronetcy until the early 20th century.

Another notable bearer of the Caves surname was Joseph Cave (1837-1900), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Nottinghamshire and represented the England national cricket team in the 1860s.

The surname Caves has undergone various spellings throughout its history, including Cave, Cave, Cavey, and Cavie, reflecting regional variations and influences. However, it has maintained its connection to its locational roots, reflecting the historical significance of caves and hollow areas in shaping this distinctive English surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Caves

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

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 Caves 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 Caves 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 Caves was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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