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

Sovereign, 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 Sovereign surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sovereign in America

Sovereign is the 41426th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sovereign surname appeared 525 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 Sovereign.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sovereign 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 Sovereign

The surname "SOVEREIGN" is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages, likely derived from the Old French word "soverain," meaning "supreme" or "highest in authority." This name was often given to individuals who held positions of power or authority, such as rulers or nobles.

In the 12th century, the name "SOVEREIGN" appeared in various historical documents, including the Pipe Rolls of Henry II, where it was recorded as "Sovereyn." This suggests that the name was already in use by that time and may have been associated with individuals in influential positions.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name "SOVEREIGN" was Sir John Sovereign, a prominent English knight who lived during the reign of Edward III in the 14th century. He fought in the Hundred Years' War and was highly regarded for his military prowess.

Another notable figure with this surname was William Sovereign, a wealthy merchant and landowner who lived in the late 15th century. He was a prominent member of the Merchant Taylors' Company in London and owned property in several counties.

In the 16th century, the name "SOVEREIGN" appeared in the tax records of Gloucestershire, where it was spelled as "Soveraigne." This suggests that the spelling and pronunciation of the name may have varied across different regions of England.

During the Tudor period, a family named "SOVEREIGN" held estates in Oxfordshire and Berkshire. One member of this family, Sir Thomas Sovereign, served as a Member of Parliament for Berkshire in the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, the name "SOVEREIGN" was found in various parish records and court documents across England. One notable bearer of this name was Robert Sovereign, a wealthy merchant and philanthropist from London, who made significant contributions to charitable causes during his lifetime.

Throughout history, the surname "SOVEREIGN" has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including nobility, military figures, merchants, and landowners. While its origins can be traced back to the Middle Ages, the name continues to be used today, carrying with it a sense of authority and influence.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sovereign

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

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

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

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