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

Kovar, 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 Kovar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kovar in America

Kovar is the 12531st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kovar surname appeared 2,473 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Kovar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kovar 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.

The history of the last name Kovar

The surname Kovar originated in the Czech Republic, with its roots dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old Czech word "kovář," meaning "blacksmith" or "metalworker." This occupational surname was given to individuals or families engaged in metalworking professions, reflecting their trade and livelihood.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Kovar can be traced back to medieval Czech records and documents. One notable mention is found in the Liber Viridis, a 14th-century manuscript from the town of Cheb (now part of the Czech Republic), where a certain "Petrus Kovar" is listed among the townspeople.

In the 15th century, the Kovar surname appeared in the records of the city of Brno, with a mention of a "Jan Kovar" in a legal document from 1472. This suggests that the name had already been well-established in various regions of the Czech lands by that time.

During the 16th century, the name Kovar began to spread beyond the Czech borders as people migrated to neighboring regions. In 1537, a "Hans Kovar" is recorded as a resident of the town of Görlitz, located in what is now eastern Germany, near the Czech border.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Kovar was Jan Kovar, a prominent Czech blacksmith who lived in the city of Prague in the late 15th century. His work can still be seen in the intricate metalwork adorning the St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague.

Another notable figure was Václav Kovar, a Czech painter and engraver who lived from 1503 to 1579. His works, particularly his religious paintings and engravings, can be found in several churches and galleries across the Czech Republic.

In the 17th century, the Kovar surname gained recognition through the accomplishments of Jiří Kovar, a Czech astronomer and mathematician born in 1638. He made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics and is credited with improving the accuracy of astronomical calculations.

The 18th century saw the rise of Jan Nepomuk Kovar, a renowned Czech architect and builder who was responsible for the construction of several notable buildings in Prague, including the Church of St. Nicholas on Malá Strana.

As the centuries progressed, the Kovar surname continued to be associated with various professions and trades, reflecting its occupational origins. While the name originated in the Czech lands, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchanges.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kovar

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

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 Kovar was:

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

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

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

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