Explore the Family Name Govan
The meaning of Govan
1. Scottish (Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire): habitational name from Govan near Glasgow, first recorded c.1134 as Guven, possibly meaning ‘place of the smith’, although more recently a Cumbric word gir ‘hill’ has been suggested. 2. Irish and Scottish: from Ó Gobhann, Gowan. History: Christian, widow of Simon de Govane, held lands in Govan in 1293.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Govan in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname "Govan" has seen a moderate increase between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Govan was ranked as the 10,375th most common surname in the United States, but by 2010 it had moved up to being the 10,103rd most common, an improvement of approximately 2.62%. Furthermore, the number of individuals bearing this surname rose from 2,846 in 2000 to 3,188 in 2010, marking a 12.02% increase. The proportion of people with this last name per 100k also saw a slight rise of 1.89%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #10,375 | #10,103 | 2.62% |
| Count | 2,846 | 3,188 | 12.02% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.06 | 1.08 | 1.89% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Govan
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows some shifts between 2000 and 2010. The majority of those with the Govan surname identified as Black, accounting for 71.71% in 2000 and 70.14% in 2010, showing a small decrease. The second largest ethnic identity group was White, constituting 20.38% in 2000 and dropping slightly to 19.79% in 2010. The percentage identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic showed a notable increase, rising by 35.15% and 34.65% respectively. Those pinpointing their ethnicity as two or more races also increased from 2.53% to 3.14%. Meanwhile, the percentage of American Indian and Alaskan Native fell by 10.00%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 71.71% | 70.14% | -2.19% |
| White | 20.38% | 19.79% | -2.89% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 2.39% | 3.23% | 35.15% |
| Two or More Races | 2.53% | 3.14% | 24.11% |
| Hispanic | 2.28% | 3.07% | 34.65% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.7% | 0.63% | -10% |