Explore the Family Name Covey
The meaning of Covey
1. Irish: shortened form of MacCovey, an Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Cobhthaigh (see Coffey). 2. English: unexplained. Covey is used of ‘pantry’ in the early modern period and covey ‘little chap’ (a diminutive of cove, Middle English cof ‘bold, eager, courageous’; see Cove) in the early nineteenth century, but there is no evidence to confirm either as the source for the surname.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Covey in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Covey saw a minor decline between 2000 and 2010. Ranked 3,841st in 2000, it dropped to 4,212th by 2010, reflecting a 9.66% decrease in ranking. Similarly, the count of people with the surname Covey also decreased from 8,495 in 2000 to 8,414 in 2010 — a small dip of about 0.95%. The proportion of individuals carrying the Covey surname per 100,000 people also dipped slightly, from 3.15 in 2000 to 2.85 in 2010, marking a 9.52% change.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,841 | #4,212 | -9.66% |
| Count | 8,495 | 8,414 | -0.95% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.15 | 2.85 | -9.52% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Covey
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows some shifts within the population carrying the surname Covey from 2000 to 2010. While the majority identified as White (94.10% in 2000, decreasing to 92.44% in 2010), there was a notable increase among those identifying as Hispanic, growing from 1.59% in 2000 to 2.71% in 2010, a jump of over 70%. Individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and those claiming two or more races also increased, by 16.92% and 31.13%, respectively. However, the Black demographic saw a slight decrease of 5.43%, while the percentage of American Indian and Alaskan Native remained stable.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.1% | 92.44% | -1.76% |
| Hispanic | 1.59% | 2.71% | 70.44% |
| Two or More Races | 1.51% | 1.98% | 31.13% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.24% | 1.24% | 0% |
| Black | 0.92% | 0.87% | -5.43% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.65% | 0.76% | 16.92% |
Covey 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 Covey is British & Irish, which comprises 54.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (25.0%) and Scandinavian (4.5%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Ashkenazi Jewish, Italian, Chinese, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 54.1% |
| French & German | 25.0% |
| Scandinavian | 4.5% |
| Other | 16.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Covey
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 Covey have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 90.70% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 90.70% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 90.70% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 90.70% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 90.70% |
What Covey 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 Covey is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include I-S25383 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Barlow, Maxwell, Justice, Whitney, Trimble, Moon, Cody, Mcnulty, Massey, Prince.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Covey 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 Covey 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.
"Covey" Surname 39.7%
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.
"Covey" Surname 20.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Covey" Surname 22.7%
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.
"Covey" Surname 16.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Covey?
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 Covey are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition