Seaver
An occupational surname referring to a sieve or sifter maker or user.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,942 Americans carry the last name Seaver. That puts it at #9,603 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.15 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 86,949 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Seaver surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
3.9K
1 in 86,949
Census rank
#9,603
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,384 bearers of the surname Seaver in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.15 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9603rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Seaver, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.6%) and Two or More Races (1.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Seaver
The surname Seaver is believed to have originated in England, with its earliest known roots dating back to the 12th century. The name is derived from the Old English word "sæfere," which means "traveler" or "seafarer." It was likely an occupational surname given to individuals who worked as sailors, merchants, or explorers.
During the Middle Ages, the surname appeared in various spellings, such as Seavere, Seyver, and Seyvour, reflecting the phonetic variations of the time. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1166, where a certain William Seavere is mentioned.
The Seaver surname has been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One of the earliest was Sir Henry Seaver, a prominent landowner and member of the English gentry who lived in the 14th century. He was known for his involvement in local politics and his ownership of substantial estates in Warwickshire.
In the 16th century, the name gained further recognition with the exploits of Edward Seaver, an English explorer and navigator who accompanied Sir Francis Drake on his famous voyages to the West Indies and the Americas. Born in 1570, Seaver played a crucial role in mapping various coastal regions and establishing trade routes for the English Crown.
Another distinguished bearer of the Seaver name was John Seaver, a Puritan minister and author who lived from 1614 to 1680. He was a prominent figure in the early days of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and is remembered for his scholarly works on theology and his contributions to the establishment of the colonial government.
The Seaver surname has also been linked to several locations throughout England, such as Seavers in Hertfordshire and Seaver's Cleeve in Gloucestershire. These place names likely derived from individuals bearing the Seaver surname who owned or resided in those areas.
In more recent times, the name has been carried by notable individuals such as Benjamin Seaver, an American author and historian born in 1785, and James Everell Seaver, a British-born Australian politician and pastoralist who lived from 1808 to 1905.
While the origins of the Seaver surname can be traced back to England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and other English-speaking regions, where it continues to be used and recognized as a surname with a rich historical heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Seaver
Among Census respondents with the surname Seaver, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.6%) and Two or More Races (1.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Seaver bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Seaver surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.8%
- Hispanic or Latino1.6%
- Two or more races1.4%
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.2%
- Black or African American0.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Seaver surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,603 | #9,603 | 0.0% |
| Count | 3,384 | 3,384 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.15 | 1.15 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Seaver bearers went from 3,384 to 3,384 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #9,603 to #9,603.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Seaver
FAQ
Seaver surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Seaver?
The surname Seaver holds position #9,603 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 3,942 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 1.15 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Seaver surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Seaver, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.6%) and Two or More Races (1.4%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.