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

Gover, 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 Gover surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gover in America

Gover is the 15272nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gover surname appeared 1,923 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 Gover.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gover 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 Gover

The surname Gover is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from an old English word "gover" or "gofair," which referred to a person who was a landowner or landholder. The name may have been initially used to identify individuals who held a significant amount of property or land.

One of the earliest documented references to the name Gover can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners and property holdings in England compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

The Gover surname is primarily associated with the counties of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Somerset in the southwest of England. Some early variations of the spelling include Gofer, Gofair, and Goffer, which further supports the connection to the old English word "gover."

One notable individual with the surname Gover was Sir Richard Gover, a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament who lived in the 15th century (c. 1420-1495). He held significant estates in Gloucestershire and served as Sheriff of the county.

Another historical figure was John Gover, a wealthy merchant and landowner from Wiltshire who lived during the 16th century (c. 1510-1580). He was involved in the wool trade and is recorded as having owned several properties in the region.

In the 17th century, Thomas Gover (c. 1620-1692) was a prominent Puritan minister and author from Somerset. He wrote several religious treatises and served as the vicar of various parishes in the area.

During the 18th century, William Gover (c. 1720-1795) was a successful businessman and landowner based in Gloucestershire. He amassed a considerable fortune through his agricultural and commercial ventures.

Another notable individual was Elizabeth Gover (c. 1780-1845), a philanthropist and social reformer from Wiltshire. She was known for her efforts in improving the living conditions of the poor and establishing schools for underprivileged children.

While the Gover surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora over the centuries. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period in the southwestern counties of England, where it was closely associated with landownership and property holdings.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gover

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

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

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

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