2000
#128,797
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Garvine
An anglicized variant of the Gaelic surname meaning "rough" or "coarse".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 132 Americans carry the last name Garvine. That puts it at #145,757 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,596,624 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Garvine surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
132
1 in 2,596,624
Census rank
#145,757
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
115
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 115 bearers of the surname Garvine in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145757th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Garvine, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Black (2.6%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Garvine
The surname Garvine is believed to have originated in Scotland during the early medieval period, potentially as early as the 11th century. It is thought to be derived from the Gaelic word "garbh," meaning rough or rugged, and may have initially referred to someone living in a harsh or mountainous region.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Charter Rolls of Dunfermline Abbey, dated 1291, where a Alan de Garvin is mentioned as a landowner in the Fife region of Scotland. This suggests that the name had already established roots in the region by the late 13th century.
In the 14th century, the name appears in various forms, such as Garwyne and Garwyn, in records from the county of Ayrshire. This region was home to the powerful Garvine family, who held significant lands and influence during this period.
A notable figure bearing the name was Sir John Garvine, who served as a chamberlain to King James IV of Scotland in the late 15th century. His descendants continued to hold prominent positions in the Scottish court and government throughout the 16th century.
As the name spread beyond its Scottish origins, variations in spelling emerged. In England, the Garven and Garvin spellings became more common, while in Ireland, the Garavine and Garvane forms were used.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in Ireland dates back to the 16th century, when a Patrick Garvane is listed in the Fiants of the County Tyrone in 1586. This suggests that the name had begun to take root in Ireland by this time.
The Garvine surname has also been associated with several notable figures throughout history. For example, Robert Garvine (1644-1718) was a renowned Scottish mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics.
Another notable bearer of the name was Sir John Garvine (1775-1856), a British naval officer who played a crucial role in the Battle of Trafalgar and later served as Governor of Newfoundland.
In the literary world, the Scottish novelist and playwright John Garvine (1914-1994) gained recognition for his works exploring themes of Scottish identity and culture.
While the surname Garvine may not be as common today as some other Scottish surnames, its rich history and connections to influential figures across various fields continue to be a source of pride for those who bear this distinctive name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Garvine
Among Census respondents with the surname Garvine, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Black (2.6%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Garvine bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Garvine surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.2% · 106
- Black or African American2.6% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.6% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Garvine
Garvine appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
-2 bearers (-1.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,431 places
2020
#145,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
-5 bearers (-4.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,529 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #128,797 | 122 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.6%) | Down 10,431 places |
| 2020 | #145,757 | 115 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-4.2%) | Down 6,529 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Garvine surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #139,228 | #145,757 | -4.7% |
| Count | 120 | 115 | -4.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Garvine bearers went from 120 to 115 (-4.2% change). The surname moved down 6,529 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #145,757.
FAQ
Garvine surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Garvine?
Name Census estimates that about 132 living Americans carry the surname Garvine. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,596,624 residents.
How common is Garvine?
Garvine ranks #145,757 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 115 people with the surname Garvine. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (132), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Garvine.
Has Garvine become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Garvine went from 120 recorded bearers to 115. That is a decrease of 5 (-4.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #139,228 to #145,757.
What does the Census say about the background of Garvine?
Among Census respondents with the surname Garvine, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Black (2.6%) and Hispanic (2.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Garvine in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.2% (106 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Garvine appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.2%), Black (2.6%), Hispanic (2.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Garvine (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Garvine mean?
An anglicized variant of the Gaelic surname meaning "rough" or "coarse". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Garvine (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Garvine?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.