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

Covert, 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 Covert surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Covert in America

Covert is the 4236th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Covert surname appeared 8,369 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Covert.

We can also compare 2010 data for Covert 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 Covert

The surname Covert has its origins in the French language, derived from the word "covert," which means "covered" or "hidden." It is believed to have emerged in the medieval period, possibly as early as the 11th century, in the northern regions of France.

The name likely originated as a descriptive term referring to someone who lived in a secluded or sheltered area, such as a forest or thicket. It may have also been used to describe someone who worked in a covert or hidden profession, such as a spy or a hunter.

In England, the surname Covert first appeared in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were records of landholders and their properties. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name was Robert le Covert, who was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of Hertfordshire in 1221.

Another early reference to the name can be found in the Placita de Quo Warranto of 1292, which mentioned William Covert, a landowner in Lincolnshire. The name was also present in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327, with the entry of Reginald Covert.

In the 14th century, the name Covert appeared in various forms, such as Coverte, Covert, and Coveert, reflecting regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. One notable individual from this period was John Covert, a monk and chronicler who lived in the late 14th century and is known for his writings on the history of the Benedictine monastery in St. Albans.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Covert spread throughout England and eventually made its way to the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in America was William Covert, who arrived in Virginia in 1636.

In the 18th century, the Covert family established itself in various parts of the United States, with notable members including Isaac Covert (1732-1803), a farmer and Revolutionary War soldier from New Jersey, and Gilbert Covert (1761-1826), a landowner and militia captain from New York.

Other notable individuals with the surname Covert include John Covert (1800-1873), a politician and lawyer from New York; Abram Covert (1803-1888), a farmer and politician from Michigan; and William Covert (1848-1920), a businessman and philanthropist from New York.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Covert

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

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

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

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