The Culver surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 17,566 people carried this name — #2,051 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 16,800 people counted. That is up 2% from 17,231 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Culver surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a nickname: ‘the culver’.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 224 · public domain.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

111 Culver families were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 621 people lived in those households, 5.6 to a family on average. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

New York 37
Connecticut 35
Vermont 17
Massachusetts 10
Maryland 6
Pennsylvania 3
North Carolina 2
New Hampshire 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 236 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Culver in American newspapers,
1903–1919.

Newspaper page from The Ronan Pioneer carrying the name Culver
The Ronan Pioneer 1919-04-18
Newspaper page from Water Valley Progress carrying the name Culver
Water Valley Progress 1903-09-12
Newspaper page from The Canton Times carrying the name Culver
The Canton Times 1903-08-28

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 199,667 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Culver in Australian newspapers,
1850s–1990s.

3,007 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Culver. The most, 635, date from the 1920s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in South Australia, at 2.6 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

South Australia 919
New South Wales 844
Queensland 619
Victoria 323
Western Australia 168
Tasmania 72
ACT (Canberra) 50

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Culver.

Who carried it

People named Culver,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Erastus D. Culver
    Erastus D. Culver 1803–1889 · judge
  • Helen Culver
    Helen Culver 1832–1925 · businessperson
  • Alvin H. Culver
    Alvin H. Culver 1873–1955 · athlete
  • Emeliza Hull Culver 1802–1838
  • Charles Vernon Culver 1830–1909 · politician
  • Andrew Culver 1832–1906 · manager

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 9 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Culver,
in the records of 4 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,343 records

1,343 records of the Culver name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 617
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 267
  • New York State death index (outside NYC), 1957–2001 198
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 173
  • U.S. alien registration index, 1940–1955 45
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 23
  • Sacramento County historic burials 9
  • U.S. service members who died in the Vietnam War 8
  • U.S. service members who died in the Korean War 2
  • Irish Famine arrivals at New York, 1846–1851 1
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Clyde H. Culver

    Born 1921 in Alabama. Enlisted 1942 at Fort McClellan; farm hand from Coosa County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 2001, buried at Florida National Cemetery, Florida.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Philip Lee Culver

    Born 1947; from South Ashfield, Massachusetts. U.S. Army, infantryman; died in an accident 1968 in Long An, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Charles Culver

    Arrived at New York in 1851 aboard the Andrew Foster from Liverpool, aged 25; laborer. From Ireland.

    U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain)

Showing 3 of 1,343 records for Culver in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia74 records

74 records of the Culver name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 52
  • NSW convict, estate and railway indexes 10
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 4
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 4
  • Tasmanian Names Index 3
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 1
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Elias Culver

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Marquis of Huntley, arriving 1826; ticket of leave 1831. Native of Dunkirk.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Jas Culver

    Arrived in Victoria in 1853 aboard the Lord Delaval, aged 29; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record John Culver

    Former farmer of Wangaratta, Victoria; died 1915.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 74 records for Culver in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

United Kingdom9 records

9 records of the Culver name in the United Kingdom War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record T. J. Culver

    Iedfordshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. Culver

    Lance Corporal, Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record H. Culver

    Gordon Highlanders. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 9 records for Culver in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Canada8 records

8 records of the Culver name in Canada
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 3
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 2
  • City of Niagara Falls (Ontario) cemetery records 2
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 1
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Pearl Culver

    Buried in 1967 at Fairview Cemetery, Niagara Falls, Ontario.

    City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Marietta Culver

    Buried in 1922 at Union Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Donald George Culver

    Died in service in 1943.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 8 records for Culver in Canada.

Counts: Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Culver.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Culver is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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