2000
#148,244
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Ivener
An Americanized transliteration of a Jewish surname from Eastern Europe.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Ivener. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ivener 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
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Ivener in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ivener, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.4%) and Black (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ivener
The surname IVENER has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "iven," which means "ivy," suggesting that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive surname for someone who lived near an ivy-covered dwelling or a place known for its abundance of ivy.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the IVENER surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where a Thomas Ivener is listed. This document provides valuable insights into the prevalence and distribution of surnames during that era.
The IVENER surname has also been documented in various historical records, such as the Feet of Fines for Essex from 1314, where a John Ivener is mentioned. These legal records often contain valuable information about land transactions, property ownership, and the lives of individuals from that time period.
In the 15th century, the surname appears to have been concentrated in the counties of Oxfordshire and Essex, as evidenced by records from the time. One notable figure bearing the IVENER surname was William Ivener, who was born in Oxfordshire in 1435 and served as a respected merchant and landowner in the region.
As the centuries progressed, the IVENER surname spread to other parts of England, and various spelling variations emerged, such as Ivener, Iviner, and Iviner. One notable individual was Robert Ivener, born in 1567 in Suffolk, who was a renowned scholar and author of several works on philosophy and theology.
Another significant figure was Elizabeth Ivener, born in 1621 in Gloucestershire, who played a crucial role in the English Civil War as a supporter of the Parliamentarian cause. Her bravery and dedication to the cause earned her recognition and respect among her contemporaries.
In the 18th century, the IVENER surname gained prominence with the birth of John Ivener (1712-1789) in Wiltshire. He was a successful merchant and philanthropist who contributed significantly to the development of his local community through various charitable endeavors.
The IVENER surname has continued to be represented throughout history, with individuals from various walks of life bearing this name. While the name may have evolved and been subject to spelling variations over time, its origins can be traced back to the early Middle Ages in England.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ivener
Among Census respondents with the surname Ivener, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.4%) and Black (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Ivener 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 Ivener surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.3% · 101
- Hispanic or Latino9.4% · 11
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ivener
Ivener 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
#148,347
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+9 bearers (+8.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 103 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+6 bearers (+5.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,077 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #148,244 | 102 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #148,347 | 111 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.8%) | Down 103 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.4%) | Up 4,077 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 Ivener 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 | #148,347 | #144,270 | 2.7% |
| Count | 111 | 117 | 5.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ivener bearers went from 111 to 117 (+5.4% change). The surname moved up 4,077 positions in the national ranking, going from #148,347 to #144,270.
FAQ
Ivener surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ivener?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Ivener. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Ivener?
Ivener ranks #144,270 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 117 people with the surname Ivener. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), 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 Ivener.
Has Ivener become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ivener went from 111 recorded bearers to 117. That is an increase of 6 (+5.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #148,347 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Ivener?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ivener, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.4%) and Black (1.7%). 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 Ivener in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.3% (101 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ivener appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.3%), Hispanic (9.4%), Black (1.7%). 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 Ivener (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 Ivener mean?
An Americanized transliteration of a Jewish surname from Eastern Europe. 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 Ivener (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 Ivener?
Want to know how many people have the last name Ivener? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.