NameCensus.

UK surname

Caven

A habitational surname derived from a place name in Scotland or Northern England.

In the 1881 census there were 251 people recorded with the Caven surname, ranking it #11,041 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 614, ranked #8,552, up from #11,041 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Edinburgh, Dumfries and Glencairn. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lochside and Lincluden, Summerville and Isle of Anglesey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Caven is 619 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 144.6%.

1881 census count

251

Ranked #11,041

Modern count

614

2016, ranked #8,552

Peak year

2010

619 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Caven had 251 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,041 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 614 in 2016, ranked #8,552.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 368 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Caven surname distribution map

The map shows where the Caven surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Caven surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Caven over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 191 #10,808
1861 historical 277 #9,025
1881 historical 251 #11,041
1891 historical 354 #9,741
1901 historical 368 #10,057
1911 historical 174 #16,311
1997 modern 529 #8,923
1998 modern 557 #8,837
1999 modern 553 #8,945
2000 modern 558 #8,841
2001 modern 535 #8,989
2002 modern 550 #8,981
2003 modern 536 #9,009
2004 modern 535 #9,041
2005 modern 537 #8,951
2006 modern 551 #8,799
2007 modern 555 #8,841
2008 modern 571 #8,720
2009 modern 586 #8,743
2010 modern 619 #8,580
2011 modern 607 #8,613
2012 modern 604 #8,562
2013 modern 602 #8,728
2014 modern 613 #8,654
2015 modern 607 #8,659
2016 modern 614 #8,552

Geography

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Where Cavens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Edinburgh, Dumfries, Glencairn, Inch and West Derby. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lochside and Lincluden, Summerville, Isle of Anglesey, Old Shettleston and Parkhead North and Locharbriggs. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Edinburgh Edinburgh
2 Dumfries Dumfries
3 Glencairn Dumfries
4 Inch Wigtown
5 West Derby Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lochside and Lincluden Dumfries and Galloway
2 Summerville Dumfries and Galloway
3 Isle of Anglesey 003 Isle of Anglesey
4 Old Shettleston and Parkhead North Glasgow City
5 Locharbriggs Dumfries and Galloway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Caven

These lists show first names that appear often with the Caven surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Caven

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Caven, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Caven surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Caven household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Caven is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Caven is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Caven falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Caven is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Caven, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Caven

The surname Caven is believed to have originated in Scotland, and the earliest records of the name date back to the 16th century. It is thought to have derived from the Gaelic word "cavan," which means "hollow" or "valley." This suggests that the name may have originated as a topographic surname, referring to someone who lived in or near a hollow or valley.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Caven appears in the Aberdeen Council Register of 1511, where a John Caven is mentioned. The name is also found in other historical records from the 16th and 17th centuries in various spellings, such as Cavin, Cavane, and Cavyn.

In the 17th century, a prominent figure with the surname Caven was Sir John Caven, a Scottish merchant and landowner who lived from 1640 to 1715. He was a successful businessman and acquired significant property in Aberdeen and the surrounding areas.

Another notable person with the surname Caven was William Caven, a Scottish minister and author who lived from 1698 to 1765. He is known for his works on theology and his contributions to the Church of Scotland.

In the 19th century, a famous bearer of the name was James Caven, a Scottish architect who lived from 1818 to 1888. He designed several notable buildings in Glasgow and other parts of Scotland, including churches, schools, and public buildings.

The surname Caven is also associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Cavenhead in Dumfriesshire and Cavenhall in Lanarkshire. These place names may have influenced the development of the surname or vice versa.

While the surname Caven is not as common as some other Scottish surnames, it has a long and interesting history that reflects the rich cultural heritage of Scotland. The name has been carried by notable individuals in various fields, from business and religion to architecture, and its origins can be traced back to the Gaelic language and the topography of the Scottish landscape.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Caven families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Caven surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Kirkcudbrightshire leads with 82 Cavens recorded in 1881 and an index of 230.47x.

County Total Index
Kirkcudbrightshire 82 230.47x
Lancashire 32 1.10x
Dumfriesshire 21 38.67x
Wigtownshire 17 52.08x
Durham 16 2.19x
Lanarkshire 16 2.01x
Midlothian 11 3.34x
Northamptonshire 10 4.33x
Yorkshire 9 0.37x
Angus 6 2.63x
Middlesex 6 0.24x
Ayrshire 5 2.72x
Dunbartonshire 4 6.06x
Cumberland 3 1.42x
Surrey 3 0.25x
Northumberland 2 0.55x
Renfrewshire 2 1.05x
Staffordshire 2 0.24x
Berwickshire 1 3.36x
Kent 1 0.12x
Norfolk 1 0.26x
Royal Navy 1 3.41x
Warwickshire 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Urr in Kirkcudbrightshire leads with 52 Cavens recorded in 1881 and an index of 1123.11x.

Place Total Index
Urr 52 1123.11x
Glencairn 13 890.41x
Ford 11 502.28x
Inch 11 345.91x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 10 7.55x
Govan 10 5.09x
Troqueer 10 214.13x
Wellingborough 10 86.06x
Everton 9 9.68x
West Derby 8 9.38x
Dumfries 7 130.60x
Bootle Cum Linacre 6 25.91x
Bury 6 18.01x
Dundee 6 7.06x
Kirkpatrick Durham 6 540.54x
Beith 5 91.07x
Gateshead 5 9.13x
Barony 4 1.99x
Dumbarton 4 43.53x
Mexborough 4 82.82x
Parton 4 666.67x
Sorbie 4 279.72x
Camberwell 3 1.91x
Newabbey 3 394.74x
St Clement Danes London 3 58.94x
Harrington 2 78.43x
Kelton 2 68.49x
Kirkdale 2 4.08x
Tynemouth 2 10.21x
Walsall Foreign 2 4.67x
West Greenock 2 5.85x
Aiskew 1 142.86x
Anwoth 1 163.93x
Balmaghie 1 128.21x
Barnsley 1 3.98x
Buittle 1 119.05x
Burton On Ure 1 769.23x
Chelsea London 1 1.35x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.72x
Crossmichael 1 89.29x
Duddingston 1 15.13x
Glasgow 1 0.71x
Great Yarmouth 1 3.19x
Hamilton 1 4.51x
Kirkcowan 1 90.91x
Kirkcudbright 1 34.01x
Kirkmahoe 1 95.24x
Leswalt 1 44.64x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 1 16.29x
Mertoun 1 172.41x
Nuneaton 1 13.93x
Preston Under Soar 1 333.33x
Royal Navy 1 3.99x
St Margaret Lothbury 1 1000.00x
Ulverston 1 11.76x
Whitehaven 1 8.87x
Woolwich 1 3.23x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Caven surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 11
Elizabeth 3
Annie 2
Catherine 2
Edith 2
Emma 2
Gertrude 2
Hannah 2
Jane 2
Sarah 2
Adelaide 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Beatrice 1
Betty 1
Bridget 1
Caroline 1
Dorothy 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Isabella 1
Janet 1
Julia 1
K. 1
Marion 1
Marsalla 1
Maryam 1
Nellie 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Caven surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 7
Robert 6
Alexander 5
James 4
George 2
John 2
Campbell 1
Charles 1
Crowther 1
Douglas 1
Frederick 1
Jas. 1
K. 1
Nathaniel 1
Patrick 1
Samuel 1
Watson 1

FAQ

Caven surname: questions and answers

How common was the Caven surname in 1881?

In 1881, 251 people were recorded with the Caven surname. That placed it at #11,041 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Caven surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 614 in 2016. That gives Caven a modern rank of #8,552.

What does the Caven surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a place name in Scotland or Northern England.

What does the Caven map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Caven bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.