Cavender
A surname of uncertain origin, probably a variant of an older European name rather than a name tied to the English word "cavender."
The #7,470 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 69,225 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The evidence for this surname is thin, and the historical excerpt available does not explain it directly; it merely lists Cavender among surnames that resemble fish names. In practice, Cavender is usually treated as a variant spelling or later anglicized form of an older surname, but the exact source is not securely established from the provided material. Because of that, the safest interpretation is to treat it as an uncertain surname with English-language transmission.
History
The name is recorded in the United States in modest numbers and appears in English-language surname collections, but the available excerpt does not give a clear origin story. It may have developed through spelling variation in Britain or North America, where surnames were often recorded inconsistently. No single famous bearer or decisive etymology can be confirmed from the source excerpt alone.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
It is uncommon enough that a single census ranking can still give a useful snapshot of its modern distribution.
From the historical record
“fish, Dragonette, Mer-man, Mer-med (Mermaid?), Sucker, Gossat, Mullet, Tench, Loach, Dace, Bream, Carp, Hake, Cavender, Chub, Roach, Shiner, Silversides, Herring, Spar- ling, Sprat, Pilchard, Gowdie, Weever, Tunny, Goldfish, Bullfish (i.e., Bullhead, or Bullpout), Bass^ Trout, Brook- trout, Sisco, Grayling, Perch…”
— A Grammar of American Surnames