2000
#108,153
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 152
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Mcgovney
Of Scottish origin, meaning "son of the blacksmith" or "son of the smith."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 169 Americans carry the last name Mcgovney. That puts it at #123,144 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,028,132 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mcgovney surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
169
1 in 2,028,132
Census rank
#123,144
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
147
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 147 bearers of the surname Mcgovney in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 123144th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcgovney, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mcgovney
The surname McGovney originates from Ireland, specifically from the northern counties of Ulster. It is believed to have emerged around the 16th century during the Plantation of Ulster, when many Scottish settlers arrived in the region. The name is derived from the Gaelic "Mac Gobhann," which translates to "son of the smith" or "son of the blacksmith."
In the early days, the McGovney surname was predominantly found in the counties of Antrim and Derry. It is thought to be a variant spelling of the more common Irish surname "McGovern" or "McGowan," which also derive from the same Gaelic roots. Historical records from the 17th and 18th centuries often feature variations in spelling, such as "McGovney," "McGavney," and "McGauney."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the McGovney name can be found in the Hearth Money Rolls of 1663, which listed householders and their taxable hearths. This document mentions a "Patrick McGovney" residing in County Antrim. Another notable reference is the 1766 Religious Census of Ireland, where several McGovney families are listed in the parish of Drumachose, County Derry.
During the 19th century, the McGovney name appeared in various historical records and documents. For instance, John McGovney (1820-1892), a prominent merchant and landowner, was born in County Antrim and later emigrated to the United States. Another notable figure was Michael McGovney (1842-1921), a politician and member of the Irish Parliamentary Party, who represented County Sligo in the House of Commons.
In the realm of literature, the surname McGovney is mentioned in several works, including "The Annals of Ulster" by James O'Laverty, published in 1887. This historical text references a "Donough McGovney" who was a member of the Irish Parliament in the late 16th century.
Other notable individuals with the McGovney surname include:
1. Patrick McGovney (1812-1887), an Irish-American businessman and politician from Pennsylvania.
2. Margaret McGovney (1885-1958), an American educator and women's rights advocate.
3. Thomas McGovney (1860-1938), an Irish-American labor leader and trade unionist in New York City.
4. William McGovney (1797-1870), an Irish-born farmer and landowner in Ontario, Canada.
5. Mary McGovney (1876-1962), an Australian community leader and philanthropist in Melbourne.
While the McGovney surname may not be as widespread as some other Irish names, it has a rich history deeply rooted in the Ulster region of Ireland, with connections to the blacksmith trade and a legacy that spans several centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mcgovney
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcgovney, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Mcgovney bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Mcgovney surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.9% · 138
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.4% · 2
- Two or more races1.4% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mcgovney
Mcgovney appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#116,829
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 149
-3 bearers (-2.0%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 8,676 places
2020
#123,144
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 147
-2 bearers (-1.3%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 6,315 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #108,153 | 152 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #116,829 | 149 | 0.05 | -3 bearers (-2.0%) | Down 8,676 places |
| 2020 | #123,144 | 147 | 0.05 | -2 bearers (-1.3%) | Down 6,315 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Mcgovney surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #116,829 | #123,144 | -5.4% |
| Count | 149 | 147 | -1.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.05 | -1.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mcgovney bearers went from 149 to 147 (-1.3% change). The surname moved down 6,315 positions in the national ranking, going from #116,829 to #123,144.
FAQ
Mcgovney surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mcgovney?
Name Census estimates that about 169 living Americans carry the surname Mcgovney. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,028,132 residents.
How common is Mcgovney?
Mcgovney ranks #123,144 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 147 people with the surname Mcgovney. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (169), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Mcgovney.
Has Mcgovney become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mcgovney went from 149 recorded bearers to 147. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #116,829 to #123,144.
What does the Census say about the background of Mcgovney?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcgovney, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Mcgovney in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.9% (138 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mcgovney appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.9%), Hispanic (3.4%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Mcgovney (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Mcgovney mean?
Of Scottish origin, meaning "son of the blacksmith" or "son of the smith." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Mcgovney (0.05 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Mcgovney?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.