Govan Surname

71,640th
Most Common
surname in the World

Approximately 6,891 people bear this surname

Most prevalent in:
United States
Highest density in:
Vanuatu

Govan Surname Definition:

Of territorial origin from the old lands of Govan in Lanarkshire. Christian, widow of Symon de Govane, held lands in Govan in 1293 (REG., p. 210). Adam of Gouvan was one of an inquest at Peebles, 1304 (Bain, II, 1436), and in Peeblesshire a family of the name flourished for centuries.

Read More About This Surname

Govan Surname Distribution Map

PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States3,6571:99,11411,019
Australia6201:43,5415,522
Scotland6111:8,7621,270
England6001:92,8639,951
South Africa3681:147,22216,772
Canada1761:209,35020,314
Vanuatu1571:1,677485
India1551:4,948,809124,489
New Zealand1331:34,0485,884
New Caledonia1091:2,534293
Zimbabwe541:285,89329,291
Thailand521:1,358,430190,094
Ireland411:114,8525,857
Malaysia321:921,69541,854
Singapore301:183,5907,666
Northern Ireland111:167,7318,683
France101:6,642,272293,169
Wales91:343,83718,086
Liberia71:629,79127,063
United States Virgin Islands71:15,7682,111
Netherlands61:2,814,529101,176
United Arab Emirates61:1,527,04651,993
Fiji41:223,5982,635
Spain41:11,688,009116,470
Portugal41:2,604,56016,079
Norway31:1,714,09579,528
Indonesia21:66,124,597756,638
Czechia21:5,316,734169,646
Honduras21:4,408,2217,709
Russia21:72,061,528727,117
Jamaica11:2,869,94713,896
Bahamas11:391,7512,737
Bermuda11:65,2793,010
Brazil11:214,074,3321,693,628
Luxembourg11:580,54215,155
Egypt11:91,935,754132,737
Kenya11:46,179,900103,372
Mozambique11:27,261,5697,432
Kazakhstan11:17,682,496204,010
Germany11:80,505,459560,955
Nigeria11:177,142,758748,972
Grenada11:108,5351,793
Taiwan11:23,444,74693,622
Panama11:3,912,25817,195
Philippines11:101,238,223404,861
Kuwait11:3,800,69427,187
Italy11:61,156,688199,583
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Ireland421:105,4736,604
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Scotland4661:8,0331,095
England721:338,54721,815
Wales141:112,0304,740
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States4971:101,04410,235

Govan (884) may also be a first name.

Govan Surname Meaning

From Where Does The Surname Originate? meaning and history

Of territorial origin from the old lands of Govan in Lanarkshire. Christian, widow of Symon de Govane, held lands in Govan in 1293 (REG., p. 210). Adam of Gouvan was one of an inquest at Peebles, 1304 (Bain, II, 1436), and in Peeblesshire a family of the name flourished for centuries. William de Gouane witnessed a charter by William, lord of Douglas, between 1306—29 (RHM., I, p. 13). Sir John de Gowen was rector of he church of Maxtoun in 1326 (Dryburgh, p. 247), and in 1325 John de Govan granted seven rigs in Brummelaw to the Friars Preachers of Glasgow (LCD., p. 155). Laurence de Govan was sheriff of Peblys, 1359 (ER., I, p. 566). William Govan or Guvane was canon of Glasgow, 1425—46 (REG., 329,348). John de Govane was prior of the Predicant Friars of Glasgow, 1451 (Napier, Partition of Lennox, p. 19). John Gwuan was a tenant under the bishop of Glasgow, 1511 (Rental), William Guvane of Cardno appears as a Peeblesshire laird, 1530 (Trials, l, p. 147), John Govand, fruictman, admitted burgess freeman of Glasgow, 1589 (Burgesses), David Cowane, portioner of Schettilstoun, 1606 (Retours, Lanark, 58), and Margaret Gooven is in record in Edinburgh, 1634 (Edinb. Marr.). From several notices in old records It is evident that the Govans of Peeblesshire were a family of some importance in the fourteenth century. They retained possession of Cardrona until 1685, their ancestral estate, after which they appear only as burgesses of Peebles and owners of certain patches of land in its neighborhood; and as such the family has now disappeared (Chambers, Peeblesshire, p. 393). The last of the name was William Govan of Hawkshaw, who died in Edinburgh, 1819 (ibid.). Govean 1536, Goveane 1669, Govans 1684, Guuan 1440.

The Surnames of Scotland (1946) by George Fraser Black (1866-1948)

(Scottish, Irish) The worker in metals, a smith; one who came from Govan, in Lanarkshire.

Dictionary of American Family Names (1956) by Elsdon Coles Smith

Govan Last Name Facts

Where Does The Last Name Govan Come From? nationality or country of origin

The surname Govan (Hindi: गोवन, Marathi: गोवन, Russian: Гован) is found in The United States more than any other country/territory. It can occur as:. Click here to see other possible spellings of Govan.

How Common Is The Last Name Govan? popularity and diffusion

The last name Govan is the 71,640th most frequently occurring family name in the world, borne by around 1 in 1,057,545 people. The surname Govan occurs predominantly in The Americas, where 56 percent of Govan live; 56 percent live in North America and 55 percent live in Anglo-North America. Govan is also the 273,464th most frequent forename globally It is held by 884 people.

The last name Govan is most widely held in The United States, where it is held by 3,657 people, or 1 in 99,114. In The United States it is most frequent in: Texas, where 15 percent live, South Carolina, where 10 percent live and California, where 8 percent live. Beside The United States it occurs in 46 countries. It is also common in Australia, where 9 percent live and Scotland, where 9 percent live.

Govan Family Population Trend historical fluctuation

The frequency of Govan has changed over time. In The United States the number of people bearing the Govan last name rose 736 percent between 1880 and 2014; in Scotland it rose 131 percent between 1881 and 2014; in England it rose 833 percent between 1881 and 2014; in Ireland it decreased 2 percent between 1901 and 2014 and in Wales it decreased 36 percent between 1881 and 2014.

Govan Last Name Statistics demography

The religious adherence of those holding the surname is predominantly Presbyterian (82%) in Ireland.

In The United States those bearing the Govan surname are 40.32% more likely to be registered with the Democratic Party than The US average, with 93.55% registered to vote for the political party.

The amount Govan earn in different countries varies greatly. In South Africa they earn 377.63% more than the national average, earning R 1,135,020 per year; in United States they earn 9.29% less than the national average, earning $39,139 USD per year and in Canada they earn 22.74% more than the national average, earning $60,980 CAD per year.

Phonetically Similar Names

SurnameSimilarityWorldwide IncidencePrevalency
Govand91112/
Govane91101/
Govain9175/
Govang9174/
Gouvan9162/
Gotvan9126/
Ngovan9125/
Govean9113/
Govahn918/
Goyvan918/
Govann917/
Govant917/
Ghovan913/
Goovan912/
Govhan911/
Govaan911/
Gohvan911/
Ovan89332/
Goivand831,029/
Gotvand8313/
Goivant834/
Govhane834/
Govaind834/
Gotvajn834/
Gouvang832/
N'Govan831/
Gouvain831/
Govanne831/
Goveand831/
Gowan806,915/
Gavan803,349/
Hovan802,878/
Goban80495/
Ovant80123/
Găvan80116/
Govon8074/
Gevan8053/
Gâvan8049/
Ojvan8045/
Ovand8044/
Ovhan8041/
Ovang8038/
Ovane8024/
Govam807/
Ovann803/
Osvan803/
Ouvan802/
Ovanc801/
Ovaan801/
Ovayn801/
Ovean801/
Șovan801/
Gävan801/
Ovain800/
Ohvan800/
Govanova772/
Goivannd771/
Gothvane771/
Govaindh771/
Geeovane771/
Gavand7312,121/
Ghoban735,195/
Gavane732,532/
Gobang73691/
Ngowan73442/
Gavant73270/
Ngavan73200/
Gavhan73188/
Gobane73163/
Gouban73159/
Gavang73154/
Gauvan73134/
Ghavan73101/
Osvand7384/
Govone7382/
Ovacin7376/
Gobain7351/
Goband7348/
Hotvan7347/
Gowane7340/
Gouvon7340/
Hovatn7330/
Goewan7325/
Gooban7324/
Gosvam7323/
Gavann7320/
Hoovan7318/
Hovang7317/
Osvank7317/
Hoivan7316/
Hovane7314/
Goiban7313/
Ngoban7313/
Gobant7313/
Cgowan7312/
Osvang7312/
Oivane7311/
Hojvan7310/
Hovhan739/
Ouvane737/
Gavaan735/
Govoun735/
Ngovon735/
Gowain734/
Gavain733/
Gompan733/
Kgavan733/
Gievan732/
Hovgan732/
Gowaan732/
Oivand731/
Cgavan731/
Houvan731/
Hovand731/
Gavank731/
Gavgan731/
Gobean731/
Govond731/
Gowann731/
Gonpan731/
Gobahn731/
Gowahn731/
Goyuan731/
Hovain731/
Ovatin731/
O'Vann731/
Gohban731/
Goyban731/
Gouwan731/
Gavanh731/
Gevean731/
Gowean730/
Gevann730/
Gowgan730/
Gavhane6750,628/
Avan677,168/
Owan675,333/
Gauvain672,257/
Oban671,499/
Ovon671,332/
Kgobane671,027/
Gouband67430/
Ghavane67328/
Ovangue67202/
Kgowane67114/
Ovanova6762/
Goiband6746/
Gavahan6745/
Goubane6733/
Gobeane6731/
Gavatin6729/
Gahvane6729/
Ghouchvand6728/
Ghotban6727/
Goubant6725/
Gavanne6724/
Gavhand6722/
Hovanne6721/
Gavahne6720/
Gonpean6718/
Houvain6714/
Gonpain6713/
Gavasne6712/
Gavaten6712/
Gauvane6710/
Ngonpan679/
Otvahyn679/
Hojvang677/
Gaavand676/
Ghobane676/
Hgavane675/
Gavanhe675/
Ncgowan675/
Hovatin675/
Oggivan675/
Gahavan674/
Gavandh674/
Gavasen674/
Hovaten674/
Ghavand674/
Goswane674/
Goubang673/
Gochuan673/
Goonpan672/
Gousuan672/
Ghavhan672/
Gavannd672/
Gatvane672/
Gobhane672/
Gouwane672/
Ovam672/
Goivamd671/
Kcgowan671/
Cgavhan671/
D'Hovan671/
Gaavane671/
Gavanng671/
Gauvhan671/
Ghavant671/
Ghoband671/
Gosvaym671/
Goobamn671/
Gooband671/
Gouvoin671/
Gotbane671/
Gavasin671/
Ngouban671/
Gouvein671/
Gobahan671/
Gobaten671/
Goibang671/
Ghavaan671/
Ghobain671/
Ghouban671/
Goibane671/
Ngoiban671/
Gobhang671/
Ghowand671/
Hovatyn671/
Goewann670/

Govan Name Transliterations

TransliterationICU LatinPercentage of Incidence
Govan in the Hindi language
गोवनgovana96.9
गोवानgovana1.55
Govan in the Marathi language
गोवनgovana89.68
गोवणgovana3.97
गोवानgovana3.97
गोवतgovata0.79
गोवमgovama0.79
Govan in the Russian language
Гованgovan-

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Footnotes

  • Surnames are taken as the first part of an person's inherited family name, caste, clan name or in some cases patronymic
  • Descriptions may contain details on the name's etymology, origin, ethnicity and history. They are largely reproduced from 3rd party sources; diligence is advised on accepting their validity - more information
  • Name distribution statistics are generated from a global database of over 4 billion people - more information
  • Heatmap: Dark red means there is a higher occurrence of the name, transitioning to light yellow signifies a progressively lower occurrence. Clicking on selected countries will show mapping at a regional level
  • Rank: Name are ranked by incidence using the ordinal ranking method; the name that occurs the most is assigned a rank of 1; name that occur less frequently receive an incremented rank; if two or more name occur the same number of times they are assigned the same rank and successive rank is incremented by the total preceeding names
  • Ethnic group cannot necessarily be determined by geographic occurrence
  • Similar: Names listed in the "Similar" section are phonetically similar and may not have any relation to Govan
  • To find out more about this surname's family history, lookup records on Family​Search, My​Heritage, FindMyPast and Ancestry. Further information may be obtained by DNA analysis