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

Cover, 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 Cover surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cover in America

Cover is the 8858th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cover surname appeared 3,699 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 Cover.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cover 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 Cover

The surname COVER has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "cufre," which meant a chest or a coffer. This suggests that the name may have been originally borne by someone who made or sold such chests or coffers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire from the year 1230, where a certain William le Cufere is mentioned. The presence of the French Norman prefix "le" indicates that the name had already been adopted by the Norman settlers in England after the Conquest of 1066.

The COVER name is also found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Buckinghamshire from 1273, where it appears as "Robert le Covere." This spelling variation reflects the evolution of the name over time, as it adapted to the changing language and dialects of different regions.

During the 14th century, the name appears in various records, such as the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a John Covere is mentioned in 1317. This suggests that the name had spread beyond its initial regions and was becoming more widespread across England.

One notable bearer of the COVER surname was Sir James Cover (1523-1584), a prominent lawyer and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He served as the Attorney General for the Duchy of Lancaster and was involved in several high-profile legal cases of his time.

Another historical figure with this surname was John Cover (1571-1638), an English clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Middlesex and is known for his work in promoting education and establishing schools in the region.

In the 17th century, the COVER name can be found in various parish records, such as those of St. Giles Cripplegate in London, where the baptism of William Cover is recorded in 1628. This suggests that the name had become well-established in urban areas as well as rural regions.

Thomas Cover (1732-1806) was a notable figure from the 18th century, serving as the Mayor of Bristol in 1789. He was a successful merchant and philanthropist, contributing to the establishment of several charitable institutions in the city.

As the centuries progressed, the COVER surname continued to be found across various parts of England, with families bearing this name making their mark in various fields, from politics and law to business and academia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cover

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

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

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

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