2000
#6,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,479
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.66
Rare Last name
Westover
One who came from a place to the west of a specified settlement or region.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,293 Americans carry the last name Westover. That puts it at #7,014 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.54 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 64,756 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Westover 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Westover with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.3K
1 in 64,756
Census rank
#7,014
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,616 bearers of the surname Westover in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.54 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7014th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Westover, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Two or More Races (3.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Westover
The surname Westover has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is a locational name, derived from the Old English words "west" meaning west and "ofer" meaning a ridge or hill, suggesting that the name was likely given to someone who lived near or by a western ridge or hill.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Westover can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name is listed as "Westovre" in this historic document.
During the 13th century, variations of the name such as "Westoure" and "Westofer" began to appear in various records and manuscripts. It is believed that the name may have originated in the counties of Hampshire or Wiltshire, where there are places called Westover or Westover Park.
One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Westover was Sir John Westover (c. 1300-1370), a prominent landowner and knight from Hampshire. Another notable figure was William Westover (c. 1450-1520), a merchant and alderman in the city of London.
In the 16th century, the name Westover was sometimes spelled as "Westovere" or "Westouer." During this period, a notable bearer of the name was Sir Thomas Westover (c. 1520-1585), a member of the English Parliament and a supporter of the Protestant Reformation.
Moving into the 17th century, the surname Westover continued to be associated with notable individuals. One example is Robert Westover (1590-1655), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works.
Another significant figure was John Westover (1625-1692), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Wiltshire. He was known for his philanthropic efforts and for establishing a school in the town of Westover.
As the name Westover spread across England, it also found its way to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to the American colonies. One notable bearer of the name in America was Benjamin Westover (1720-1790), a soldier and surveyor who fought in the French and Indian War.
While the surname Westover may not be as widespread as some other English surnames, it has a rich history and has been borne by many notable individuals throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Westover
Among Census respondents with the surname Westover, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Two or More Races (3.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Westover 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 Westover surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.5% · 4,176
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 174
- Two or more races3.7% · 170
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 36
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 34
- Black or African American0.6% · 26
Timeline
Historical Census data for Westover
Westover 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
#7,071
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,734
+255 bearers (+5.7%)
Per 100,000 1.60
Rank movement Down 163 places
2020
#7,014
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,616
-118 bearers (-2.5%)
Per 100,000 1.54
Rank movement Up 57 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,908 | 4,479 | 1.66 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,071 | 4,734 | 1.60 | +255 bearers (+5.7%) | Down 163 places |
| 2020 | #7,014 | 4,616 | 1.54 | -118 bearers (-2.5%) | Up 57 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 Westover 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 | #7,071 | #7,014 | 0.8% |
| Count | 4,734 | 4,616 | -2.5% |
| Per 100K | 1.60 | 1.54 | -3.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Westover bearers went from 4,734 to 4,616 (-2.5% change). The surname moved up 57 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,071 to #7,014.
FAQ
Westover surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Westover?
Name Census estimates that about 5,293 living Americans carry the surname Westover. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 64,756 residents.
How common is Westover?
Westover ranks #7,014 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.54 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,616 people with the surname Westover. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,293), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.54 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.54 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Westover.
Has Westover become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Westover went from 4,734 recorded bearers to 4,616. That is a decrease of 118 (-2.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #7,071 to #7,014.
What does the Census say about the background of Westover?
Among Census respondents with the surname Westover, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Two or More Races (3.7%). 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 Westover in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.5% (4,176 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Westover appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.5%), Hispanic (3.8%), Two or More Races (3.7%). 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 Westover (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 Westover mean?
One who came from a place to the west of a specified settlement or region. 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 Westover (1.54 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 common is the surname Westover?
Find out how many people are called Westover on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.