2000
#7,905
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,885
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.44
Rare Last name
Abate
Derived from the Italian word meaning "abbot," referring to a person who worked for or lived near an abbot.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,738 Americans carry the last name Abate. That puts it at #7,723 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.38 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 72,342 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Abate surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
4.7K
1 in 72,342
Census rank
#7,723
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,132 bearers of the surname Abate in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.38 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7723rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Abate, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.2%. The next largest groups are Black (17.1%) and Hispanic (3.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Abate
The surname ABATE has its origins in Italy, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Latin word "abbatem," which means "abbot" or "superior of a monastery." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals who held positions of authority within religious communities or were connected to monastic orders.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name ABATE can be found in the historic records of the Republic of Genoa, a powerful maritime republic that flourished in the Mediterranean region during the Middle Ages. These documents mention individuals bearing the surname ABATE who were involved in trade and commercial activities within the city-state.
As the name spread throughout Italy, it underwent variations in spelling, such as Abbate, Abbati, and Abati, reflecting regional dialects and scribal practices of the time. These variations often appeared in medieval manuscripts and chronicles, providing insights into the geographical distribution of the name across different regions of the Italian peninsula.
Notable historical figures bearing the ABATE surname include Giovanni Battista Abate (1525-1589), an Italian painter and architect who was active during the Renaissance period. His works can be found in various churches and palaces throughout Italy, showcasing the artistic talents associated with this name.
Another prominent individual was Niccolò dell'Abate (1509-1571), an Italian poet and scholar who lived during the 16th century. He gained recognition for his poetic works and contributions to the literary circles of his time, further adding to the cultural significance of the ABATE surname.
In the realm of religious leadership, Gioacchino Abate (1559-1619) was a notable figure who served as the Bishop of Catania, a city in Sicily, during the early 17th century. His tenure as a high-ranking ecclesiastical figure exemplified the connection between the name ABATE and religious authority.
Moving forward in time, Vincenzo Abate (1687-1755) was an Italian painter and engraver who achieved fame for his artistic works, particularly his etchings and engravings depicting religious and mythological scenes. His artistic legacy contributed to the cultural heritage associated with the ABATE surname.
Paolo Abate (1902-1992) was a 20th-century Italian actor and film director who made significant contributions to the Italian cinema industry. His prolific career spanned several decades, and he is remembered for his performances in numerous films and theatrical productions, further enhancing the recognition of the ABATE name in the arts and entertainment sectors.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Abate
Among Census respondents with the surname Abate, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.2%. The next largest groups are Black (17.1%) and Hispanic (3.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Abate bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Abate surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White76.2% · 3,147
- Black or African American17.1% · 705
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 159
- Two or more races2.3% · 95
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 25
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Abate
Abate appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#7,644
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,344
+459 bearers (+11.8%)
Per 100,000 1.47
Rank movement Up 261 places
2020
#7,723
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,132
-212 bearers (-4.9%)
Per 100,000 1.38
Rank movement Down 79 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,905 | 3,885 | 1.44 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,644 | 4,344 | 1.47 | +459 bearers (+11.8%) | Up 261 places |
| 2020 | #7,723 | 4,132 | 1.38 | -212 bearers (-4.9%) | Down 79 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Abate surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,644 | #7,723 | -1.0% |
| Count | 4,344 | 4,132 | -4.9% |
| Per 100K | 1.47 | 1.38 | -6.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Abate bearers went from 4,344 to 4,132 (-4.9% change). The surname moved down 79 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,644 to #7,723.
FAQ
Abate surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Abate?
Name Census estimates that about 4,738 living Americans carry the surname Abate. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 72,342 residents.
How common is Abate?
Abate ranks #7,723 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.38 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,132 people with the surname Abate. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,738), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.38 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.38 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Abate.
Has Abate become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Abate went from 4,344 recorded bearers to 4,132. That is a decrease of 212 (-4.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,644 to #7,723.
What does the Census say about the background of Abate?
Among Census respondents with the surname Abate, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.2%. The next largest groups are Black (17.1%) and Hispanic (3.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Abate in the 2020 Census, accounting for 76.2% (3,147 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Abate appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (76.2%), Black (17.1%), Hispanic (3.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Abate (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Abate mean?
Derived from the Italian word meaning "abbot," referring to a person who worked for or lived near an abbot. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Abate (1.38 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Abate?
Want to know how many people are called Abate? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.