2000
#131,366
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Scovern
A surname derived from a Scottish placename referring to a person from Scoonie near Leven, Fife.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Scovern. 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 Scovern 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 Scovern 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 Scovern, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (2.9%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Scovern
The surname Scovern is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval era. The name is believed to be a locational surname, derived from a specific place in England. One theory suggests that it may have originated from the village of Scofton in Nottinghamshire, whose name is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Scoftune."
In its earliest form, the surname was likely spelled as "Scofton" or "Scoftun." Over time, the spelling evolved into various variations, including Scofton, Scoftun, Scoveton, Scoveton, and eventually Scovern. The transition from the original locational name to the modern surname form occurred gradually, as families migrated from their ancestral homes and adopted the place name as their hereditary surname.
Historical records provide glimpses into the early bearers of the Scovern name. In the 13th century, a Robert de Scoftun is mentioned in the Feet of Fines records for Nottinghamshire, dated 1254. This entry suggests the presence of the Scovern family in the region during that time period. Another notable individual was John Scofton, who served as the Rector of Sutton-upon-Trent in Nottinghamshire in the late 15th century.
As the surname spread across England, various branches of the Scovern family emerged. One prominent figure was Sir John Scovern, a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Nottinghamshire in the late 16th century (born circa 1550, died 1619). Another notable bearer of the name was William Scovern, a renowned scholar and theologian who lived in the 17th century (born 1615, died 1681).
In the 18th century, the Scovern name was associated with several notable individuals. Robert Scovern (born 1712, died 1784) was a successful merchant and philanthropist in London, while his contemporary, Thomas Scovern (born 1725, died 1798), was a renowned artist and engraver whose works are preserved in various art galleries.
As the Scovern family dispersed across different regions of England, the name became associated with various place names and local variations. For instance, in some areas, the name was spelled as Scovington or Scoventon, reflecting the influence of local dialects and pronunciation.
Throughout its history, the surname Scovern has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, clergymen, scholars, artists, and merchants. While not an extremely common name, it has left its mark on the tapestry of English history, with its origins rooted in the medieval era and a rich legacy spanning several centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Scovern
Among Census respondents with the surname Scovern, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (2.9%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Scovern 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 Scovern surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.4% · 97
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.9% · 3
- Two or more races2.9% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.0% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Scovern
Scovern appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-14 bearers (-11.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 23,541 places
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 1,918 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #131,366 | 119 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | -14 bearers (-11.8%) | Down 23,541 places |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Up 1,918 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 Scovern 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 | #154,907 | #152,989 | 1.2% |
| Count | 105 | 105 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Scovern bearers went from 105 to 105 (+0.0% change). The surname moved up 1,918 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #152,989.
FAQ
Scovern surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Scovern?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Scovern. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Scovern?
Scovern 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 Scovern. 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 Scovern.
Has Scovern become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Scovern went from 105 recorded bearers to 105. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Scovern?
Among Census respondents with the surname Scovern, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (2.9%) and Two or More Races (2.9%). 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 Scovern in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.4% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Scovern appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.4%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.9%), Two or More Races (2.9%). 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 Scovern (2000, 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 Scovern mean?
A surname derived from a Scottish placename referring to a person from Scoonie near Leven, Fife. 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 Scovern (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 share the surname Scovern?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.