2000
#148,244
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Govednik
A Slavic surname derived from the word "govedo" meaning cattle or oxen.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Govednik. That puts it at #150,935 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,764,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Govednik 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
124
1 in 2,764,148
Census rank
#150,935
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
108
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 108 bearers of the surname Govednik in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150935th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Govednik, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.5%) and Two or More Races (3.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Govednik
The surname "GOVEDNIK" is of Slovenian origin, dating back to the late 15th century. It is derived from the Slovenian word "goven," which means "cattle" or "bovine." The name likely originated in rural areas where cattle farming was a common occupation.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "GOVEDNIK" can be found in a land registry document from the town of Kranj, Slovenia, dated 1498. The document mentions a certain "Janez Govednik" as a landowner in the region.
In the 16th century, the name appeared in several church records in the Slovenian region of Carniola (now part of modern-day Slovenia). For example, a baptismal record from the village of Radovljica in 1572 lists the birth of "Matija Govednik," son of "Andrej Govednik."
The name "GOVEDNIK" is also found in some historical manuscripts from the 17th century, such as a legal document from the town of Škofja Loka, dated 1638, which mentions a "Gregor Govednik" as a witness in a property dispute.
One notable bearer of the name "GOVEDNIK" was Jurij Govednik (1572-1647), a Slovenian farmer and local magistrate in the village of Bled. He is mentioned in several historical accounts as a respected figure in the community.
Another prominent individual with the surname "GOVEDNIK" was Matija Govednik (1805-1878), a Slovenian writer and poet from the town of Cerknica. He is best known for his collection of folk tales and poems, which helped preserve the rich cultural heritage of the Slovenian people.
In the 19th century, the name "GOVEDNIK" can be found in various records from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which included parts of modern-day Slovenia. For instance, a military record from 1854 lists a "Jakob Govednik" as a soldier in the Imperial Army.
While the name "GOVEDNIK" is primarily associated with Slovenia, it has also been recorded in other Slavic countries, particularly in the neighboring regions of Croatia and Serbia, where variations of the name such as "Govedic" or "Govedić" may have been used.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Govednik
Among Census respondents with the surname Govednik, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.5%) and Two or More Races (3.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Govednik 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 Govednik surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.0% · 94
- Hispanic or Latino6.5% · 7
- Two or more races3.7% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.9% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Govednik
Govednik 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
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 10,188 places
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
+6 bearers (+5.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 7,497 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #148,244 | 102 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 10,188 places |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.9%) | Up 7,497 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 Govednik 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 | #158,432 | #150,935 | 4.7% |
| Count | 102 | 108 | 5.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 20.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Govednik bearers went from 102 to 108 (+5.9% change). The surname moved up 7,497 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #150,935.
FAQ
Govednik surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Govednik?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Govednik. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Govednik?
Govednik ranks #150,935 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 108 people with the surname Govednik. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (124), 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 Govednik.
Has Govednik become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Govednik went from 102 recorded bearers to 108. That is an increase of 6 (+5.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Govednik?
Among Census respondents with the surname Govednik, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.5%) and Two or More Races (3.7%). 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 Govednik in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.0% (94 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Govednik appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.0%), Hispanic (6.5%), Two or More Races (3.7%). 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 Govednik (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 Govednik mean?
A Slavic surname derived from the word "govedo" meaning cattle or oxen. 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 Govednik (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 are called Govednik?
Find out how many Americans have the surname Govednik on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.