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

Caviston, 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 Caviston surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Caviston in America

Caviston is the 110286th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Caviston surname appeared 160 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Caviston.

We can also compare 2010 data for Caviston 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 Caviston

The surname Caviston is believed to have originated in the Scottish Lowlands, possibly in the region around Edinburgh, sometime in the late 16th or early 17th century. It is thought to be derived from an Old Scottish Gaelic word "caibhisean," which referred to a type of woolen cloth or clothing made from such material.

One of the earliest known references to the name appears in a record from the parish of Duddingston, near Edinburgh, dated 1612, which mentions a "Robert Caviston." It's possible that this individual or his ancestors may have been involved in the production or trade of woolen goods, hence the association with the name.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Caviston surname appears to have spread to other parts of Scotland, including the Borders region and the Central Lowlands. Records from this period show variations in the spelling, such as "Cavistoun," "Cavistoune," and "Cavistane."

One notable figure bearing the Caviston name was James Caviston (1695-1772), a merchant and landowner from Haddington, East Lothian. He was involved in the local wool trade and acquired significant property holdings in the area.

Another individual of note was Robert Caviston (1742-1814), who served as a captain in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War. He fought in several battles, including the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775.

In the 19th century, the Caviston surname began to appear in England as well, likely due to migration from Scotland. One such example is John Caviston (1821-1892), a successful industrialist from Lancashire who made his fortune in the textile industry.

A more recent figure was Margaret Caviston (1892-1976), a Scottish author and poet known for her works capturing the life and culture of the Scottish Lowlands. Her poetry collections, such as "The Heather Blooms" (1934), were well-received and celebrated the region's natural beauty and traditions.

While the Caviston surname is not among the most common in Scotland or the United Kingdom, it has a rich history deeply rooted in the country's textile heritage and the lives of individuals who contributed to various fields over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Caviston

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

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

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

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