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

Clover, 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 Clover surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Clover in America

Clover is the 12307th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Clover surname appeared 2,526 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 Clover.

We can also compare 2010 data for Clover 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 Clover

The surname Clover originated in England and is derived from the Old English word "clæfre," meaning clover. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a clover patch or worked with the plant in some capacity.

The earliest recorded use of the surname Clover dates back to the 13th century. One of the earliest known references can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mentions a Richard le Clovere. The name was also recorded in various other medieval records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where a John Clovere is listed.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Clover appeared in various spellings, including Clovere, Clover, and Clouwere, reflecting the variations in local dialects and scribal practices of the time. Some of these spelling variations were also influenced by place names, as people were often identified by the location they came from.

One notable individual with the surname Clover was Robert Clover, a 15th-century English clergyman and author. He was born in the late 14th century and served as the Bishop of Llandaff from 1436 until his death in 1447. Clover wrote several theological works, including a commentary on the Book of Psalms.

Another significant figure with this surname was Sir John Clover, a 16th-century English merchant and politician. Born in the late 15th century, he served as Sheriff of London in 1533 and was elected as a Member of Parliament for the City of London in 1547. Sir John Clover was also a prominent member of the Worshipful Company of Grocers.

In the 17th century, the surname Clover was also found in Scotland. One of the earliest recorded examples is Thomas Clover, a Scottish merchant who was born in Dundee around 1620. He later settled in London and became a successful trader, contributing to the development of Scottish commerce in England.

Another notable individual was Samuel Clover, an English writer and poet who lived in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Born in 1677, he is best known for his collection of poems titled "The Poetical Works of Samuel Clover," published in 1714.

Lastly, William Clover, an English botanist and horticulturist, made significant contributions to the study of plants in the 18th century. Born in 1701, he was a fellow of the Royal Society and published several works on horticulture, including "The Florist's Vade-Mecum" in 1750.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Clover

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

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

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

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