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

Diver, 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 Diver surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Diver in America

Diver is the 19538th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Diver surname appeared 1,382 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Diver.

We can also compare 2010 data for Diver 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 Diver

The surname Diver is of English origin and can be traced back to the late 13th century. It is an occupational surname derived from the Middle English word "dyvere," meaning a person who dives or swims underwater. The name likely referred to someone who worked as a professional diver, perhaps recovering sunken goods or pearls from the seafloor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275, which mention a John le Dyvere. Another early reference appears in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1292, listing a William le Dyvere.

The surname Diver has been associated with various places throughout England, particularly in areas with coastal or riverside settlements where diving activities were more common. For instance, there are records of Divers in the village of Diver in Gloucestershire, which may have influenced the surname's development.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Diver. One such person was Sir Lewis Diver (1570-1627), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1620-1621. Another was Edward Diver (1597-1667), an English clergyman and academic who became the President of St John's College, Oxford.

In the 18th century, a prominent figure with this surname was Robert Diver (1718-1796), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Maidstone from 1761 to 1768. Additionally, there was William Diver (1743-1805), an English engraver and portrait painter known for his work in London during the late 18th century.

Moving into the 19th century, one notable individual was Alfred Diver (1879-1966), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Masonic Hospital and the Savoy Court complex.

While the surname Diver is not among the most common in English-speaking countries, it has a rich history rooted in the occupational traditions of diving and underwater work. The name's origins can be traced back to the Middle Ages, and it has been carried by individuals from various walks of life over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Diver

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!