Find out how popular the last name Govostes is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Govostes.
A rare Greek surname potentially derived from a place name or an occupational name.
Govostes, 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 Govostes surname is from the 2010 census data.
Govostes is the 148347th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Govostes surname appeared 111 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Govostes.
The surname GOVOSTES has its origins in the Mediterranean region, specifically the island of Cyprus during the Byzantine era. It is derived from the Greek word "govostis," which means "stonecutter" or "mason." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name were likely stonemasons or worked in the construction trade.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name GOVOSTES can be found in a land registry document from the town of Paphos, dated around 1250 AD. The document mentions a certain "Georgios Govostes" as the owner of a plot of land near the town's cathedral.
In the 14th century, a family bearing the name GOVOSTES is mentioned in a manuscript detailing the history of the Cypriot town of Limassol. The manuscript suggests that this family played a role in the construction of some of the town's fortifications and churches.
During the Venetian rule of Cyprus in the 15th and 16th centuries, the name GOVOSTES appears in several tax records and census documents from various villages across the island. This indicates that the name had spread beyond its initial localized origins.
One notable bearer of the GOVOSTES name was Petros Govostes, a stonemason born in the village of Omodos in 1567. He is credited with the construction of several churches and monasteries in the region, including the famous Kykkos Monastery.
In the 18th century, a Greek Orthodox priest named Ioannis Govostes (1712-1789) gained recognition for his scholarly works and contributions to the preservation of Greek literature and culture during the Ottoman period.
Another prominent figure was Theodoros Govostes (1821-1898), a Cypriot politician and journalist who played a significant role in the island's struggle for independence from Ottoman rule. He was a vocal advocate for the rights of Greek Cypriots and served as a member of the Legislative Council.
Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, the GOVOSTES surname continued to be found across various regions of Cyprus, with several families bearing the name achieving success in various fields, including law, medicine, and education.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Govostes.
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:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Govostes was:
Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
---|---|---|
Non-Hispanic White Only | 98.20% | 109 |
Non-Hispanic Black Only | 0.00% | 0 |
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.00% | 0 |
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | (S)% | (S) |
Hispanic Origin | 0.00% | 0 |
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.
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 Govostes was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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<a href="http://namecensus.com/last-names/govostes-surname-popularity/">Govostes last name popularity, history, and meaning</a>
"Govostes last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 16, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/govostes-surname-popularity/.
"Govostes last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/govostes-surname-popularity/. Accessed 16 July, 2025
Govostes last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/govostes-surname-popularity/.
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