This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Hovey family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Hovey Family History

Hovey Surname Meaning

English and Welsh: from the personal name Hwfa of uncertain origin. The surname is more frequently found in the explicit patronymic form ap Hwfa ‘son of Hwfa’ (see Povey) and forms with and without ap were still interchangeable in the 16th and 17th centuries.

English: perhaps from an unrecorded Old English personal name Hofig, a pet form of Old English Hofa (of uncertain origin but apparently from hof ‘temple’) + a hypocoristic suffix -ig.

However, the absence of Middle English evidence for either the personal name or the surname leaves this explanation in doubt.

Americanized form of Dutch Hove.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Hovey family from?

You can see how Hovey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Hovey family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Hovey families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 75 Hovey families living in London. This was about 39% of all the recorded Hovey's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Hovey families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Hovey surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Hovey ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Stevedore and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Hovey. 72% of Hovey men worked as a Stevedore and 90% of Hovey women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Hovey were Stevedore Heavy Work and Housewife.

View Census Data for Hovey | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Stevedore
    72%
  • Stevedore Heavy Work
    29%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    90%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    7%
  • Housewife
    4%

What Hovey family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 44,000 census records available for the last name Hovey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Hovey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Hovey

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Hovey. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Hovey immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 8,000 military records available for the last name Hovey. For the veterans among your Hovey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Hovey military records

You've only scratched the surface of Hovey family history

Discover More

What is the average Hovey lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Hovey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Hovey in 1946 was 65, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Hovey

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Hovey ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Hovey family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial