2010
#152,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Hooverson
An occupational surname derived from the trade or job related to hoovering or cleaning.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Hooverson. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hooverson 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Hooverson in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hooverson, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hooverson
The surname Hooverson has its origins in Denmark, tracing back to the late 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Danish word "hoover," which means "to hover" or "to float." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a body of water or worked as a fisherman or sailor.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hooverson can be found in the Danish census records of 1589, where a man named Jens Hooverson was listed as a resident of the coastal town of Skagen. This region of Denmark was known for its thriving fishing industry, lending credence to the theory that the name was initially associated with maritime activities.
In the 17th century, the name Hooverson began to appear in other parts of Scandinavia, including Norway and Sweden. This was likely due to the migration of Danish settlers seeking new opportunities or fleeing religious persecution. Notable individuals from this period include Olav Hooverson (1621-1692), a Norwegian merchant who established trade routes between Bergen and Amsterdam.
As the name spread across Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Hoverson, Howverson, and Hooversson. In the 18th century, a branch of the Hooverson family settled in Germany, where they adopted the spelling Huferson. One prominent member of this line was Johann Huferson (1745-1818), a renowned clockmaker whose intricate timepieces were highly sought after by European nobility.
The 19th century saw the Hooverson name make its way to the United States, with many immigrants from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden seeking new opportunities in the growing nation. One of the earliest recorded American Hooversons was Peter Hooverson (1812-1891), a Danish immigrant who settled in Wisconsin and became a successful farmer and landowner.
Another notable figure was Sarah Hooverson (1856-1942), a Norwegian-American educator who founded one of the first schools for the deaf in Minnesota. Her groundbreaking work in deaf education earned her widespread recognition and numerous accolades during her lifetime.
Throughout history, the Hooverson surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including farmers, merchants, artisans, and academics. While the name may have originated from humble beginnings, it has left an indelible mark on the diverse tapestry of global culture and heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hooverson
Among Census respondents with the surname Hooverson, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
The bar chart below shows how Hooverson 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 Hooverson surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White100.0% · 107
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hooverson
Hooverson appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 989 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #152,628 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Up 989 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 Hooverson 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 | #152,628 | #151,639 | 0.6% |
| Count | 107 | 107 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hooverson bearers went from 107 to 107 (+0.0% change). The surname moved up 989 positions in the national ranking, going from #152,628 to #151,639.
FAQ
Hooverson surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hooverson?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Hooverson. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Hooverson?
Hooverson ranks #151,639 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 107 people with the surname Hooverson. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), 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 Hooverson.
Has Hooverson become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hooverson went from 107 recorded bearers to 107. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #152,628 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Hooverson?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hooverson, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%. 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 Hooverson in the 2020 Census, accounting for 100.0% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hooverson appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (100.0%). 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 Hooverson (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 Hooverson mean?
An occupational surname derived from the trade or job related to hoovering or cleaning. 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 Hooverson (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 have the last name Hooverson?
You can see how common the surname Hooverson is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.