2010
#147,253
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Overn
A surname referring to someone who lived near an oven or furnace.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Overn. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Overn 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
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Overn in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Overn, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (11.4%) and Two or More Races (3.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Overn
The surname Overn originated in England during the late medieval period, deriving from the Old English words "ofer" meaning "over" and "orn" meaning "dwelling place." It was initially used to refer to someone who lived near or above a particular location or landmark.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Overn surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Ofern" in reference to a landowner in the county of Oxfordshire. This suggests that the name had already been established by the late 11th century.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, various spellings of the name emerged, including "Overne," "Overen," and "Overyn." These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and the inconsistencies in medieval record-keeping.
In the 15th century, the Overn surname began to spread beyond its initial localized area, with records indicating families bearing the name in counties such as Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Lincolnshire.
One notable individual with the Overn surname was John Overn (c. 1450-1521), a wealthy merchant and landowner from the city of York. His family's wealth and influence were such that they were able to commission the construction of Overn Hall, a grand manor house that still stands today.
Another prominent figure was Elizabeth Overn (1568-1632), a renowned herbalist and midwife from the village of Stoke-on-Trent. Her expertise in traditional medicine earned her a reputation throughout the region, and she was often sought out for her skills.
In the 17th century, the Overn surname gained further recognition with the birth of William Overn (1616-1698), a respected theologian and author who wrote extensively on religious matters. His works were widely read and influenced many within the Church of England.
During the 18th century, the Overn name was carried to the American colonies by several immigrant families, including Jonathan Overn (1735-1812), who settled in Virginia and fought in the Revolutionary War.
One of the most illustrious figures in the Overn family history was Sir Thomas Overn (1790-1867), a British naval officer who distinguished himself during the Napoleonic Wars and later served as the Governor of the Bahamas.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the Overn surname throughout history, reflecting its enduring presence and legacy across several centuries and continents.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Overn
Among Census respondents with the surname Overn, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (11.4%) and Two or More Races (3.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Overn 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 Overn surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.8% · 88
- Hispanic or Latino11.4% · 12
- Two or more races3.8% · 4
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Overn
Overn appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-7 bearers (-6.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,736 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #147,253 | 112 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | -7 bearers (-6.3%) | Down 5,736 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 Overn 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 | #147,253 | #152,989 | -3.9% |
| Count | 112 | 105 | -6.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Overn bearers went from 112 to 105 (-6.3% change). The surname moved down 5,736 positions in the national ranking, going from #147,253 to #152,989.
FAQ
Overn surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Overn?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Overn. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Overn?
Overn ranks #152,989 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 105 people with the surname Overn. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), 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 Overn.
Has Overn become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Overn went from 112 recorded bearers to 105. That is a decrease of 7 (-6.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #147,253 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Overn?
Among Census respondents with the surname Overn, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (11.4%) and Two or More Races (3.8%). 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 Overn in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.8% (88 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Overn appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.8%), Hispanic (11.4%), Two or More Races (3.8%). 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 Overn (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 Overn mean?
A surname referring to someone who lived near an oven or furnace. 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 Overn (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 surname Overn?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.