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

McCovery, 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 McCovery surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McCovery in America

McCovery is the 43651st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McCovery surname appeared 494 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 McCovery.

We can also compare 2010 data for McCovery 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 McCovery

The surname MCCOVERY is believed to have originated in Scotland during the medieval period, likely derived from a combination of the Gaelic prefix "Mc" and the word "covery," which may have referred to a profession or occupation related to a type of laborer or worker.

The earliest known instances of the name appeared in historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries in the regions of the Scottish Highlands and Lowlands. Some variations of the spelling included MCCOVERY, MCCOVERIE, and MCCOVERE, indicating potential regional differences in pronunciation or scribal errors.

One of the earliest documented individuals bearing the name was Sir William MCCOVERY, a Scottish knight who fought alongside Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence in the early 14th century. Sir William's bravery and loyalty were recognized by King Robert I, who granted him lands in the county of Ayrshire.

Another notable figure was Margaret MCCOVERY, a wealthy landowner from the village of Kilwinning, Ayrshire, who was mentioned in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in the year 1456 for her substantial tax contributions to the Crown.

In the 16th century, the MCCOVERY name appeared in various ecclesiastical records, such as the birth and baptismal records of the parish of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. One such entry was for John MCCOVERY, born in 1547 to parents Robert and Isobel MCCOVERY.

During the 17th century, the MCCOVERY family established a presence in the city of Glasgow, where several members were involved in the trading and merchant guilds. James MCCOVERY (1628-1692), a successful merchant and alderman, was a prominent figure in the city's affairs and served as a magistrate for several years.

In the 18th century, the MCCOVERY name spread to other parts of the British Isles, with some individuals migrating to Ireland and England. One notable figure from this period was Sir Alexander MCCOVERY (1745-1822), a Scottish-born naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars, eventually attaining the rank of Admiral.

Over the centuries, the MCCOVERY surname has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, including scholars, artists, politicians, and military personnel. While initially concentrated in Scotland, the name has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and diaspora.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McCovery

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

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

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

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