Graven last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Graven

A surname derived from a topographic name indicating someone living near a ditch or carved path.

Graven, 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 Graven surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Graven in America

Graven is the 26492nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Graven surname appeared 921 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 Graven.

We can also compare 2010 data for Graven 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 26492 22870 14.68%
Count 921 1,045 -12.61%
Proportion per 100k 0.31 0.39 -22.86%

The history of the last name Graven

The surname Graven is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "grafen," which means "engraved" or "carved." This suggests that the name may have been associated with the occupation of a carver or sculptor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Graven surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Gravene." This entry indicates that individuals bearing this surname were present in England during the Norman conquest.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the Graven surname was particularly prevalent in the county of Yorkshire. Records from this period show variations in spelling, such as "Graven," "Gravene," and "Graven."

The surname Graven is also closely linked to the village of Graven in North Yorkshire. It is possible that some individuals bearing this surname may have originated from or resided in this area.

Notable individuals with the surname Graven throughout history include:

  1. William Graven (c. 1480 - 1556), an English stonemason and sculptor who worked on several prominent buildings in London, including the King's College Chapel at Cambridge.

  2. John Graven (1592 - 1657), an English engraver and printmaker known for his intricate woodcut illustrations in religious texts.

  3. Elizabeth Graven (c. 1620 - 1689), a renowned embroiderer and needleworker whose creations were highly sought after by the English nobility.

  4. Richard Graven (1715 - 1799), a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Old Bailey courthouse.

  5. Thomas Graven (1856 - 1932), a British sculptor and wood carver who gained recognition for his intricate carvings adorning churches and public buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

While the Graven surname may have been more prevalent in certain regions of England, it has since spread throughout the English-speaking world, with individuals bearing this name found in various countries and cultures.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Graven

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

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 Graven was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 92.83% 855
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.76% 7
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 2.61% 24
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 1.74% 16
Hispanic Origin 2.06% 19

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 Graven has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 92.83% 94.35% -1.62%
Black 0.76% 0.77% -1.31%
Asian and Pacific Islander 2.61% 2.11% 21.19%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.77% -200.00%
Two or More Races 1.74% 1.44% 18.87%
Hispanic 2.06% 0.57% 113.31%

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Graven last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 16, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/graven-surname-popularity/.

"Graven last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/graven-surname-popularity/. Accessed 16 July, 2025

Graven last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/graven-surname-popularity/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.