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

Dove, 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 Dove surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dove in America

Dove is the 2475th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dove surname appeared 14,560 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Dove.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dove 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 Dove

The surname DOVE is of English origin and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "dufe," which means "dove" or "pigeon." The name likely originated as a nickname for someone who was associated with these birds, perhaps as a breeder or seller of doves.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landholders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several entries for people with variations of the name, such as "Duve" and "Duva." This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname DOVE is found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1176, which mention a William Dove. Another early example is John Dove, who was recorded in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire in 1219.

The surname DOVE is also associated with various place names in England, such as Dove Holes in Derbyshire and Dove Bridge in Staffordshire. These locations likely derived their names from the presence of doves or their association with people bearing the surname.

Notable historical figures with the surname DOVE include:

1. Thomas Dove (c. 1555-1630), an English mathematician and scholar at the University of Cambridge.
2. Henry Dove (1640-1695), an English nonconformist minister and author of several religious works.
3. John Dove (1561-1618), an English clergyman and scholar at the University of Cambridge.
4. Richard Dove (c. 1561-1642), an English Catholic priest and martyr who was executed during the reign of King James I.
5. Edward Dove (1794-1857), an English author and poet known for his works on rural life and customs.

The surname DOVE has been present in various regions of England for centuries, with concentrations in counties such as Lincolnshire, Derbyshire, and Staffordshire, reflecting its early origins and distribution.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dove

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

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

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

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