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

Converse, 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 Converse surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Converse in America

Converse is the 7554th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Converse surname appeared 4,400 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 Converse.

We can also compare 2010 data for Converse 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 Converse

The surname Converse is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "convers," meaning "a lay brother in a monastery." This term referred to men who dedicated their lives to religious service without taking formal vows.

The name first appeared in records in the county of Oxfordshire, England, during the reign of King Henry II (1154-1189). One of the earliest documented instances is in the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1180, where a certain William Convers is mentioned.

In the 13th century, the surname was recorded in various forms, such as Convers, Conversus, and Conversant, reflecting the evolving spelling and pronunciation over time. These variations appeared in various medieval documents, including the Hundred Rolls and the Curia Regis Rolls.

The Converse surname gained prominence in the 14th century, with notable individuals bearing the name. One such person was John Convers (c. 1300-1370), a wealthy merchant and landowner from London, who served as an alderman and sheriff of the city.

During the Tudor period (1485-1603), the Converse family held significant estates in Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Sir Edward Converse (1530-1589), a Member of Parliament and High Sheriff of Worcestershire, was a prominent figure of the time.

In the 17th century, the surname crossed the Atlantic Ocean with the English colonists who settled in North America. Among the early Converse immigrants was Edward Converse (1590-1663), who arrived in Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630 and became a prominent figure in the colony's affairs.

Another notable individual was Samuel Converse (1683-1768), a merchant and landowner in Boston, who served as a selectman and was involved in the establishment of the town of Malden, Massachusetts.

The Converse family played a role in the American Revolutionary War, with Josiah Converse (1755-1836) serving as a soldier and later becoming a respected farmer and community leader in Vermont.

As the centuries passed, the Converse surname continued to spread across the United States and other parts of the world. It has been carried by several notable figures throughout history, including the American industrialist Elisha Converse (1820-1904), who founded the Converse Rubber Shoe Company, now known as Converse.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Converse

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

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

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

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