Explore the Family Name Governor

The meaning of Governor

American English: occupational name for a member of the household of a governor.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Governor in the United States?

According to the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname "Governor" has seen a slight increase in popularity in the United States between 2000 and 2010. Ranked at 67,522 in 2000, it climbed to 64,891 by 2010, which is a growth rate of around 3.9%. In terms of absolute numbers, there were 273 people with the last name Governor in 2000, and this number rose to 306 in 2010, marking a substantial increase of approximately 12.09%. However, as a proportion per 100,000 people, the prevalence of the surname remained steady at 0.1.

	2000	2010	Change
Rank	#67,522	#64,891	3.9%
Count	273	306	12.09%
Proportion per 100k	0.1	0.1	0%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Governor

With respect to ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows shifts in the ethnic identity associated with the surname "Governor". In 2000, the majority of individuals bearing this surname identified as White (55.68%) or Black (42.12%). By 2010, while these two groups still made up the largest share, there was a decrease in both categories, with those identifying as White dropping to 49.67% and Black to 40.20%. Interestingly, the 2010 census also showed new representation from those identifying as Hispanic or belonging to two or more races, each making up 4.25% of individuals carrying the Governor surname. It should be noted that no individuals with this surname identified as Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.

	2000	2010	Change
White	55.68%	49.67%	-10.79%
Black	42.12%	40.2%	-4.56%
Two or More Races	0%	4.25%	0%
Hispanic	0%	4.25%	0%
Asian/Pacific Islander	0%	0%	0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native	0%	0%	0%