Explore the Family Name Carver
The meaning of Carver
1. English: occupational name from Middle English kerver ‘one who cuts or carves (something)’, especially wood, hence ‘carpenter’ but within that trade more specifically and commonly ‘sculptor of wooden images’; perhaps occasionally ‘sculptor in stone’. 2. Americanized form of German Garber, Gerber, or Körber (see Koerber). History: John Carver (c.1576–1621), one of the Mayflower Pilgrims, was the first governor of Plymouth Plantation. He was born in Nottinghamshire or Derbyshire, England. Emigrating to the Netherlands in 1609, he joined the Pilgrims at Leyden.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Carver in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Carver has seen a slight decline in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the surname Carver was ranked at 1014, but by 2010 it had slipped to 1079, representing a decrease of 6.41%. However, this shift in ranking did not correlate with a drop in the number of people bearing the name. On the contrary, the count of individuals with the surname Carver increased from 31,566 in 2000 to 32,415 in 2010, representing a growth rate of 2.69%. The proportion per 100k also decreased marginally during this period, moving from 11.7 in 2000 to 10.99 in 2010, a change of -6.07%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,014 | #1,079 | -6.41% |
| Count | 31,566 | 32,415 | 2.69% |
| Proportion per 100k | 11.7 | 10.99 | -6.07% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Carver
In terms of ethnic identity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows some shifts for those with the surname Carver between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of Carvers who identify as Asian/Pacific Islander rose significantly from 0.32% to 0.45%, indicating a substantial increase of 40.62%. Those identifying as having two or more races also saw an increase, going from 1.34% in 2000 to 1.69% in 2010, a rise of 26.12%. While the largest group remains those who identify as White, their percentage slightly declined from 90.64% to 89.29%, a change of -1.49%. There were increases in the percentages of those identifying as Hispanic (from 1.59% to 2.17%, an increase of 36.48%) and Black (from 5.51% to 5.83%, an increase of 5.81%). Meanwhile, there was a small decrease in the percentage of Carvers who identify as American Indian and Alaskan Native, from 0.61% to 0.57%, a change of -6.56%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 90.64% | 89.29% | -1.49% |
| Black | 5.51% | 5.83% | 5.81% |
| Hispanic | 1.59% | 2.17% | 36.48% |
| Two or More Races | 1.34% | 1.69% | 26.12% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.61% | 0.57% | -6.56% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.32% | 0.45% | 40.62% |
Carver ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Carver is British & Irish, which comprises 59.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (22.7%) and Scandinavian (4.3%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, Italian, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 59.1% |
| French & German | 22.7% |
| Scandinavian | 4.3% |
| Other | 13.9% |
Possible origins of the surname Carver
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Carver have recent ancestry locations in United Kingdom and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 90.70% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 90.70% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 90.50% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 90.40% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 90.40% |
What Carver haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Carver is R-L2, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L2 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-U152 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Hudson, Langley, Craig, Deal, Foss, Tracy, Robert, Rust, Kuhn, Beyer.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Carver surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Carver have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Carver" Surname 43.3%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Carver" Surname 27.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Carver" Surname 19.8%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Carver" Surname 17.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Carver?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Carver are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition