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

Covell, 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 Covell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Covell in America

Covell is the 10268th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Covell surname appeared 3,139 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 Covell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Covell 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 Covell

The surname Covell is of English origin, with its earliest records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "cofa," meaning a chamber or small apartment, and the suffix "-el," which signifies a diminutive form. This suggests that the name may have been used to refer to someone who lived in a small dwelling or worked in a chamber.

One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, where it appears as "Covele." This document, a census of landowners and their holdings, provides valuable insight into the distribution and prevalence of surnames during that time period.

The Covell surname also appears in various historical records, such as the Lay Subsidy Rolls for Warwickshire from 1332, where it is spelled as "Covell." These rolls, which recorded taxes levied on the populace, offer a glimpse into the geographic spread of the name across different regions of England.

Notably, the surname is mentioned in the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. In this historical document, the name is recorded as "Coveleia," which may have been an early spelling variation or a place name associated with the surname.

Throughout history, several individuals bearing the Covell surname have achieved notable status. One such figure was Sir Thomas Covell (c. 1548-1631), an English judge and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Worcestershire and later became a Justice of the King's Bench. Another prominent individual was John Covell (c. 1638-1722), an English Puritan minister and author who wrote extensively on theological subjects.

In the realm of literature, Abraham Covell (c. 1616-1692) was an English poet and translator who is best known for his translation of Virgil's works into English. Additionally, Robert Covell (c. 1575-1623) was an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works during the early 17th century.

The Covell surname has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Covell's Green in Cambridgeshire and Covell's Farm in Gloucestershire. These place names may have been derived from the surname itself or vice versa, reflecting the close connection between surnames and geographic locations in England's history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Covell

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

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

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

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