Explore the Family Name Kovach
The meaning of Kovach
1. Americanized form of Czech (Moravian), Slovak, and Rusyn (from Slovakia) Kováč or Kovač, Slovenian, Serbian, Croatian, and Bosniak Kovač (see Kovac), Hungarian Kovács (see Kovacs), all meaning ‘smith’. Compare Kovack, Kovash, Kovatch, and Kowatch; see also 2 below. 2. Rusyn and Ukrainian: occupational name from kovach, a variant of koval ‘smith’ (see Koval).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Kovach in the United States?
According to the data collected from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Kovach has seen a slight decrease over the past decade. In 2000, Kovach was ranked as the 3570th most popular surname, with approximately 9130 people bearing it, which constituted about 3.38 individuals per 100,000. However, by 2010, the rank had slipped to 3940 and the count had dropped slightly to 9040 individuals, equivalent to around 3.06 per 100,000. This represents a drop in popularity by approximately 10.36% and a decrease in count by nearly 1%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,570 | #3,940 | -10.36% |
| Count | 9,130 | 9,040 | -0.99% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.38 | 3.06 | -9.47% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Kovach
When analyzing the ethnic identity associated with the surname Kovach, the Decennial U.S. Census data showed an interesting shift. The majority of individuals with this surname identified as White, making up 97.06% in 2000 and 95.72% in 2010. Meanwhile, there was significant growth in the proportion of individuals who identified as Asian/Pacific Islander or Hispanic, with increases of 63.89% and 81.82% respectively. Those identifying as two or more races also increased by 26.73%. Conversely, the proportions of those identifying as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native decreased by 20.00% and 5.56%, respectively, during the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 97.06% | 95.72% | -1.38% |
| Hispanic | 1.1% | 2% | 81.82% |
| Two or More Races | 1.01% | 1.28% | 26.73% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.36% | 0.59% | 63.89% |
| Black | 0.3% | 0.24% | -20% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.18% | 0.17% | -5.56% |
Kovach 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 Kovach is British & Irish, which comprises 27.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Eastern European (26.3%) and French & German (24.8%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Greek & Balkan, Ashkenazi Jewish, Scandinavian, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 27.4% |
| Eastern European | 26.3% |
| French & German | 24.8% |
| Other | 21.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Kovach
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 Kovach have recent ancestry locations spanning a few countries, mostly in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 65.40% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 65.40% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 65.40% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 65.00% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 64.60% |
What Kovach 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 Kovach is R-CTS3402, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS3402 is descended from haplogroup R-M420. Other common haplogroups include R-L260 and I-S17250, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Molnar, Horvath, Szymanski, Bodnar, Sikora, Nagy, Zielinski, Takacs, Toth, Novotny.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Kovach surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M420Your 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 Kovach 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.
"Kovach" Surname 40.0%
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.
"Kovach" Surname 35.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Kovach" Surname 23.8%
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.
"Kovach" Surname 18.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Kovach?
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 Kovach are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition