History of your Surname
Get access to Govan family records.Start a free trial

Govan Family History

Govan Name Meaning

Scottish (Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire): habitational name from Govan near Glasgow first recorded c. 1134 as Guven possibly meaning ‘place of the smith’ although more recently a Cumbric word gir ‘hill’ has been suggested. Irish and Scottish: from Ó Gobhann Gowan .

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


Similar surnames: Gogan, Gowan, Logan, Moran, Toran, Honan, Ronan, Cavan, Given, Dolan

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Govan family from?

You can see how Govan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Govan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Govan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 21 Govan families living in Quebec. This was about 34% of all the recorded Govan's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of Govan families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Govan surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Govan ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Student were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Govan. 100% of Govan men worked as a Farmer and 100% of Govan women worked as a Student. .

View Census Data for Govan | 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 1921

  • Farmer
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Student
    100%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Govan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 16,000 census records available for the last name Govan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Govan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Govan

Passenger Lists

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

View all Govan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Govan. For the veterans among your Govan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Govan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Govan family history

Discover More

What is the average Govan lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Govan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Govan in 1953 was 31, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Govan

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Govan family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Govan last name

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