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

Margraves, 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 Margraves surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Margraves in America

Margraves is the 134712th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Margraves surname appeared 125 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Margraves.

We can also compare 2010 data for Margraves 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 Margraves

The surname Margraves has its origins in medieval England, tracing back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French term "margreffe," which referred to a keeper or warden of a border territory. This term finds its roots in the Germanic words "marka" (border) and "grafio" (count or earl).

The name is believed to have emerged from the occupation of a margraves, who were noblemen responsible for the protection and administration of border regions, often marshlands or coastal areas. These territories were known as marches or margraviates, and the margraves held significant power and authority within their domains.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Margraves can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a person named Margraves is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 12th century in parts of southern England.

Over the centuries, the name Margraves has undergone various spelling variations, including Margreve, Margrave, and Margreve. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and the evolving nature of English orthography.

Historically, several notable individuals have borne the surname Margraves. One such figure was Sir John Margraves (1610-1645), an English soldier who fought for the Royalist cause during the English Civil War. He was killed in battle during the siege of Taunton in 1645.

Another prominent bearer of the name was William Margraves (1688-1765), an English architect and surveyor who worked on several notable projects in London, including the reconstruction of the Royal Exchange after the Great Fire of 1666.

In the 19th century, James Margraves (1820-1895) was a British businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the development of Swansea, Wales. He was instrumental in establishing the town's public library and museum.

Moving across the Atlantic, one finds Edward Margraves (1742-1814), an American planter and politician from Virginia. He served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and later became a member of the Virginia House of Delegates.

Lastly, it is worth mentioning Thomas Margraves (1775-1843), an English cricketer who played for the prestigious Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in the early 19th century. He was renowned for his skill as a batsman and wicket-keeper during his playing career.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Margraves

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

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

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

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