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

Stover, 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 Stover surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Stover in America

Stover is the 1455th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Stover surname appeared 24,526 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 8 people would have the surname Stover.

We can also compare 2010 data for Stover 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 Stover

The surname Stover is of English origin, emerging in the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word "stofu," meaning a room or small dwelling. The name initially referred to someone who lived in a small hut or cottage, perhaps a stonemason or a craftsman.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Stover can be found in various medieval records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, which mention a Walter le Stover. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 also reference a John Stover.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname Stover was particularly prevalent in the counties of Worcestershire, Oxfordshire, and Gloucestershire in England. It is also worth noting that the name was sometimes spelled as Stovere or Stofer in early records.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname Stover was John Stover (c. 1505-1571), an English churchman and academic who served as the Archdeacon of Middlesex and a Canon of St. Paul's Cathedral in London.

Another prominent individual was Richard Stover (1573-1627), an English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Wiltshire and wrote several religious works, including "A Treatise on Conscience" and "A Commentary on the Book of Proverbs."

In the realm of literature, mention can be made of Wilbur D. Stover (1869-1949), an American writer and educator who authored several books, including "Life of George Washington" and "The Woodranger."

The name Stover also has connections to place names, such as Stover Park in Torbay, Devon, which was named after a family that owned the estate in the 17th century.

Another notable figure was Sir Richard Stover (1577-1629), an English Member of Parliament who represented Somerset in the House of Commons and served as the High Sheriff of Somerset in 1625.

While the surname Stover is not as common as some other English surnames, it has a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages, with roots in various counties of England and connections to individuals who made significant contributions in various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Stover

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

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

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

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