The Dove surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 14,560 people carried this name — #2,475 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 20,200 people counted. That is up 3% from 14,106 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Dove surname

As an English surname, from the noun dove.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Dove» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

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

An early record he cites: Richard Dove, Norfolk, 1291–92 (20 Edward I) — Placita de Quo Warranto.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 249 · public domain.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

33 people named Dove live in Switzerland.

They live in 5 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Bern.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Bern 9
Zurich 9
Geneva 6
Lucerne 5
Obwalden 4

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In the Nordic population registers

33 people named Dove is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 33

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

In the first U.S. census, 1790

24 Dove families were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 124 people lived in those households, 5.2 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

Virginia 8
Massachusetts 6
Maryland 4
North Carolina 2
South Carolina 2
Connecticut 1
Pennsylvania 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. 237 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Dove in American newspapers,
1897–1921.

Newspaper page from The Aberdeen Weekly carrying the name Dove
The Aberdeen Weekly 1921-06-17
Newspaper page from Birmingham State Herald carrying the name Dove
Birmingham State Herald 1897-04-30
Newspaper page from Mrs. Grundy carrying the name Dove
Mrs. Grundy 1921-06-23

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 4,976 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Dove in Australian newspapers,
1820s–1990s.

19,070 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Dove. The most, 3,065, date from the 1900s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Tasmania, at 2.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 6,057
Victoria 4,305
Tasmania 3,006
South Australia 2,391
Queensland 2,321
Western Australia 839
ACT (Canberra) 86
Northern Territory 23

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

Who carried it

People named Dove,
with a public archive behind them.

  • John Dove d. 1665 · politician
  • Marmaduke Dove d. 1866 · politician
  • Jilson Dove d. 1853 · police officer
  • William Lionel Dove d. 2000
  • Janet Gordon Dove d. 1958
  • Anna Dove d. 1897

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Dove,
in the records of 7 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 States1,052 records

1,052 records of the Dove name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 476
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 160
  • Other U.S. records 416
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Welton E. Dove

    Born 1923 in Illinois. Enlisted 1943 at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri; porter. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1976, buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Missouri.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Margarethe Dove

    Arrived at New Orleans in 1848 aboard the Elbers from Bremen, aged 26; farmer. From Hagen, Germany.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Leroy J. Dove

    Born 1930; from Branch County, Michigan. U.S. Army, light weapons infantryman; declared dead 1950 in South Korea.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 1,052 records for Dove in the United States.

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

Australia757 records

757 records of the Dove name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 368
  • Tasmanian Names Index 194
  • Other Australian records 195
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Norris Dove

    Died 1882 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 65. Will registered in Tasmania in 1882.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. 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 John Dove

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Maitland, arriving 1840.

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

    Arrived in Victoria in 1859 aboard the Roxburgh Castle, aged 29; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 757 records for Dove in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); 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).

Netherlands368 records

368 records of the Dove name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 260
  • Dutch population registers 93
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 15
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Dina Dove

    Married in 1909 in Lonneker; factory worker, born in Lonneker. Died 1953 in Holten, aged 66.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Enschede (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Collectie Overijssel locatie Zwolle (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Gerrit Dove

    Born 1861 in Het Haagje. Died 1882 in Slood, aged 21; tailor.

    Open Archives, Drents Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Hermannus Jan Hendrik Dove

    Born 1887 in Enschede. Married in 1911 in Lonneker; hodman.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Enschede (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 368 records for Dove in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Canada59 records

59 records of the Dove name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 46
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 5
  • Other Canadian records 8
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record E.a Dove

    Came to Ontario in 1879 aboard the Sarmatian, landing at Halifax, bound for London, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Robert Dove

    Buried in 1971 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 70.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Israel Dove

    Died 1867 in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 59 records for Dove in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · 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 Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom40 records

40 records of the Dove name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 29
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 9
  • Welsh wills index cards 2
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record John Henry Dove

    Will proved in 1935; of Milford Haven.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Tho Dove

    Buried in 1806 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 60.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record S. Dove

    Lancashire Fusiliers. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

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

Showing 3 of 40 records for Dove in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Germany14 records

14 records of the Dove name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Heinrich Dove

    From Suderburg. Reported dead in the Prussian casualty list of 18 June 1915 (Brigade Replacement Battalion No. 40).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list August Dove

    From Mellinghausen, Sulingen. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 27 May 1918.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 2 of 14 records for Dove in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

New Zealand4 records

4 records of the Dove name in New Zealand Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Samuel Dove

    Buried in 1881 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 80.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Joseph Patrick Dove

    Died 2001, aged 76; buried at Whangamata Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Thomas Dove

    Buried in 1877 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 39.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 4 records for Dove in New Zealand.

Counts: Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Dove.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Dove is.
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