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

McGovern, 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 McGovern surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McGovern in America

McGovern is the 2095th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McGovern surname appeared 17,257 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname McGovern.

We can also compare 2010 data for McGovern 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 McGovern

The surname McGovern is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic Mac Gobhann, meaning "son of the smith." It is believed to have originated in the 10th or 11th century in various parts of Ireland, particularly in counties such as Down, Armagh, and Fermanagh.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The entry for the year 1142 mentions a "Maelcobha Mac Gabhann," which is believed to be an early spelling of the name McGovern.

The name McGovern has been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One of the earliest was Donnchadh Mór Mac Gabhann, a 14th-century Irish chieftain who ruled over parts of what is now County Fermanagh. Another prominent bearer of the name was Reverend John McGovern (1722-1799), an Irish Catholic priest who played a significant role in the establishment of the Diocese of Baltimore in the United States.

In the 19th century, James McGovern (1822-1911) was a prominent Irish-American businessman and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Connecticut. Francis E. McGovern (1866-1946), born in Ireland, was a United States Army officer who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Philippine-American War.

One of the most well-known McGoverns of the 20th century was George S. McGovern (1922-2012), a United States Senator from South Dakota and the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 1972 election. He was a prominent advocate for social justice and anti-war causes.

While the surname McGovern has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, among others. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply intertwined with Irish culture and history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McGovern

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

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

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

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