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

Evan, 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 Evan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Evan in America

Evan is the 14706th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Evan surname appeared 2,021 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 Evan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Evan 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 Evan

The surname Evan is of Welsh origin, derived from the biblical name Evan, a variation of the Hebrew name Yochanan or John, meaning "God is gracious." It emerged as a patronymic surname in Wales during the Middle Ages, indicating a person's lineage or ancestral connection to an ancestor named Evan.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Evan can be traced back to the late 13th century in various Welsh records and manuscripts. One notable reference is found in the Anglesey Extent of 1294, which mentions individuals bearing the surname Evan or its variant spellings, such as Ap Evan or Vychan.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the surname Evan became more widespread throughout Wales, with numerous references appearing in legal documents, tax rolls, and parish records. One significant example is the appearance of the name Evan in the Merioneth Ministers' Accounts of 1399, which lists individuals with this surname residing in the county of Merionethshire.

As Welsh families began migrating to other parts of Britain and eventually to the Americas, the surname Evan was carried along, establishing roots in various regions. Notable individuals bearing this surname include Evan Bevan (1753-1829), a Welsh minister and writer, and Evan Roberts (1878-1951), a Welsh revivalist preacher who played a significant role in the Welsh Revival of 1904-1905.

Another notable figure was Evan Evans (1765-1849), a Welsh-American minister and educator who founded the Gwynedd Monthly Meeting of the Society of Friends in Pennsylvania. He was instrumental in establishing several schools and promoting education among the Welsh community in America.

In the literary realm, Evan Harrington (1860-1886) was the pen name of George Meredith, a renowned English novelist and poet. His novel "Evan Harrington" (1860) explored themes of social class and identity in Victorian England.

The surname Evan has also been associated with Welsh place names, such as Evan-y-Bont, which means "Evan of the Bridge" in Welsh, reflecting the connection between surnames and geographical locations in traditional Welsh naming practices.

While the surname Evan has maintained a strong presence in Wales and among Welsh communities worldwide, it has also been adopted and adapted by various cultures, reflecting the diverse history and migration patterns of families bearing this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Evan

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

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

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

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