2000
#132,259
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Hoevet
A surname derived from a Germanic word meaning "hoof-smith" or farrier.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Hoevet. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hoevet 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Hoevet in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hoevet, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (3.5%) and Hispanic (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hoevet
The surname HOEVET originated in the Netherlands, with the earliest known records dating back to the 15th century. It is believed to have derived from an occupational name, referring to someone who worked as a stableman or groom, responsible for caring for horses. The Dutch word "hoevet" translates to "hoofbeat," which aligns with this occupation.
HOEVET is thought to have started as a regional name, particularly prevalent in the provinces of Noord-Brabant and Gelderland. Early variations of the spelling included Hoveyt, Hoevett, and Hoevett, reflecting the dialect and phonetic differences across different regions.
One of the earliest documented references to the HOEVET surname can be found in a 1492 municipal record from the city of Nijmegen, where a certain Henrick Hoevett is mentioned as a landowner. Another notable early record is a 1518 entry in the archives of the city of Breda, which lists a Jheronimus Hoevet as a member of the local guild of blacksmiths.
In the 17th century, a prominent figure bearing the HOEVET name was Pieter Hoevet (1619-1687), a respected lawyer and magistrate in Amsterdam. He played a significant role in the city's legal affairs and is cited in several historical documents from that era.
Another individual of note is Jan Hoevet (1743-1812), a skilled silversmith who achieved recognition for his intricate craftsmanship. His works can be found in various museums and private collections across the Netherlands.
During the 19th century, a notable HOEVET was Willem Hoevet (1821-1895), a pioneering horticulturist who introduced several new plant varieties to the Dutch market. He is credited with establishing one of the first commercial nurseries in the region of Zuid-Holland.
In more recent times, Johanna Hoevet (1897-1978) was a celebrated Dutch soprano who performed extensively throughout Europe in the early 20th century. Her performances were praised for their technical precision and emotional depth, and she is regarded as one of the finest operatic voices of her generation.
It is also worth mentioning Dirk Hoevet (1906-1982), a respected architect who was instrumental in the post-war reconstruction efforts in the city of Rotterdam. His innovative designs and urban planning concepts left a lasting impact on the city's skyline and infrastructure.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hoevet
Among Census respondents with the surname Hoevet, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (3.5%) and Hispanic (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Hoevet 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 Hoevet surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.8% · 106
- American Indian and Alaska Native3.5% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hoevet
Hoevet 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
#140,157
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+1 bearers (+0.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,898 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-6 bearers (-5.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,064 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #132,259 | 118 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #140,157 | 119 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+0.8%) | Down 7,898 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.0%) | Down 7,064 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 Hoevet 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 | #140,157 | #147,221 | -5.0% |
| Count | 119 | 113 | -5.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hoevet bearers went from 119 to 113 (-5.0% change). The surname moved down 7,064 positions in the national ranking, going from #140,157 to #147,221.
FAQ
Hoevet surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hoevet?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Hoevet. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Hoevet?
Hoevet ranks #147,221 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 113 people with the surname Hoevet. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), 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 Hoevet.
Has Hoevet become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hoevet went from 119 recorded bearers to 113. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #140,157 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Hoevet?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hoevet, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (3.5%) and Hispanic (1.8%). 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 Hoevet in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.8% (106 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hoevet appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.8%), American Indian/Alaska Native (3.5%), Hispanic (1.8%). 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 Hoevet (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 Hoevet mean?
A surname derived from a Germanic word meaning "hoof-smith" or farrier. 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 Hoevet (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 Hoevet?
Find out how common the surname Hoevet is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.