2000
#11,158
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,608
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.97
Rare Last name
Graver
An occupational surname referring to an engraver or carver, derived from Middle English "graver" meaning "one who carves."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,430 Americans carry the last name Graver. That puts it at #13,691 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.71 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 141,051 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Graver 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Graver with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.4K
1 in 141,051
Census rank
#13,691
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,119 bearers of the surname Graver in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.71 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13691st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Graver, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.1%. The next largest groups are Black (3.1%) and Hispanic (3.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Graver
The surname Graver has its origins in England and can be traced back to the mid-13th century. It derives from the Old English word "grafere," which referred to an engraver or sculptor. The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it is listed as "Richard le Gravere."
Throughout the medieval period, the Graver surname was predominantly found in the counties of Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Berkshire. In the 14th century, records show individuals with the name Graver living in villages such as Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire and Thatcham in Berkshire. The name is also mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1327, indicating its presence in the region.
One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Graver was William Graver, who was born in Thatcham, Berkshire, in 1412. He was a skilled woodcarver and is believed to have worked on the construction of several churches in the area, though his specific contributions remain uncertain.
In the 16th century, the Graver surname gained prominence when John Graver (1560-1637) became a renowned engraver and printmaker in London. He was known for his intricate engravings of religious scenes and portraits, which were highly sought after by the nobility and wealthy patrons of the arts.
Another notable individual was Thomas Graver (1588-1656), a scholar and clergyman from Oxfordshire. He attended Oxford University and later became the rector of Drayton Parslow in Buckinghamshire, where he served for over 30 years.
During the 17th century, the Graver surname spread beyond its traditional strongholds in southern England. Records show individuals with this name living in places like Yorkshire and Lancashire, suggesting migration patterns within the country.
One noteworthy figure from this period was Richard Graver (1635-1704), a merchant from Bristol who made his fortune in the transatlantic trade. He was instrumental in establishing trade routes between England and the American colonies, contributing to the city's economic growth.
As the centuries passed, the Graver surname continued to be associated with various professions, including artisans, clergy, and merchants. However, it remained relatively uncommon compared to other English surnames, reflecting its specific occupational origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Graver
Among Census respondents with the surname Graver, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.1%. The next largest groups are Black (3.1%) and Hispanic (3.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Graver 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 Graver surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.1% · 1,909
- Black or African American3.1% · 66
- Hispanic or Latino3.1% · 65
- Two or more races3.0% · 64
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 14
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Graver
Graver 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
#12,584
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,460
-148 bearers (-5.7%)
Per 100,000 0.83
Rank movement Down 1,426 places
2020
#13,691
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,119
-341 bearers (-13.9%)
Per 100,000 0.71
Rank movement Down 1,107 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,158 | 2,608 | 0.97 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,584 | 2,460 | 0.83 | -148 bearers (-5.7%) | Down 1,426 places |
| 2020 | #13,691 | 2,119 | 0.71 | -341 bearers (-13.9%) | Down 1,107 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 Graver 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 | #12,584 | #13,691 | -8.8% |
| Count | 2,460 | 2,119 | -13.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.83 | 0.71 | -14.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Graver bearers went from 2,460 to 2,119 (-13.9% change). The surname moved down 1,107 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,584 to #13,691.
FAQ
Graver surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Graver?
Name Census estimates that about 2,430 living Americans carry the surname Graver. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 141,051 residents.
How common is Graver?
Graver ranks #13,691 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.71 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,119 people with the surname Graver. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,430), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.71 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.71 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Graver.
Has Graver become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Graver went from 2,460 recorded bearers to 2,119. That is a decrease of 341 (-13.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #12,584 to #13,691.
What does the Census say about the background of Graver?
Among Census respondents with the surname Graver, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.1%. The next largest groups are Black (3.1%) and Hispanic (3.1%). 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 Graver in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.1% (1,909 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Graver appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.1%), Black (3.1%), Hispanic (3.1%). 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 Graver (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 Graver mean?
An occupational surname referring to an engraver or carver, derived from Middle English "graver" meaning "one who carves." 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 Graver (0.71 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 have the last name Graver?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how common the surname Graver is at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.