2000
#128,797
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Battat
A Hebrew surname derived from the biblical name Battus or referring to people from the town of Batta.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Battat. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Battat 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Battat in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Battat, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Black (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Battat
The surname "BATTAT" is believed to have originated in the Middle East, specifically in the regions of modern-day Lebanon and Syria. It is thought to have evolved from an Arabic word meaning "maker of mattresses" or "bedding manufacturer." The earliest known records of this surname date back to the 16th century in the cities of Tripoli and Beirut.
In the 17th century, the name appeared in various Ottoman Empire records, indicating the presence of individuals bearing this surname in regions under Ottoman control. One notable mention was in a trade register from the city of Aleppo in 1625, which listed a merchant named Ibrahim Battat.
The surname gained further prominence in the 19th century, with several prominent figures bearing the name. One such individual was Khalil Battat (1828-1891), a renowned Syrian scholar and poet who authored several works on Arabic literature and philosophy.
Another notable bearer of the surname was Yousef Battat (1860-1932), a Lebanese businessman and philanthropist who played a significant role in the development of modern-day Beirut. He was instrumental in establishing several educational institutions and hospitals in the city.
In the early 20th century, the name spread to other parts of the world through emigration. One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname outside the Middle East was in the United States, where a man named Salim Battat (1885-1954) settled in New York City and established a successful import-export business.
Other notable individuals with the surname "BATTAT" include:
1. Joseph Battat (1919-2008), a Lebanese-Canadian entrepreneur and founder of the Battat Toy Company, one of the largest toy manufacturers in North America.
2. Nabil Battat (born 1946), a Syrian-born Canadian businessman and philanthropist, known for his contributions to the arts and education in Canada.
3. Aida Battat (born 1952), a Lebanese writer and journalist, known for her works on Arab culture and women's rights.
4. Issam Battat (born 1963), a Syrian-American businessman and real estate developer, known for his projects in the Middle East and Europe.
5. Rima Battat (born 1970), a Lebanese-Canadian actress and television host, known for her work in Arabic and French-language productions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Battat
Among Census respondents with the surname Battat, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Black (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Battat 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 Battat surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.5% · 111
- Two or more races4.2% · 5
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Battat
Battat 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
#130,610
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 130
+8 bearers (+6.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,813 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
-10 bearers (-7.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,439 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #128,797 | 122 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #130,610 | 130 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+6.6%) | Down 1,813 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | -10 bearers (-7.7%) | Down 11,439 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 Battat 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 | #130,610 | #142,049 | -8.8% |
| Count | 130 | 120 | -7.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Battat bearers went from 130 to 120 (-7.7% change). The surname moved down 11,439 positions in the national ranking, going from #130,610 to #142,049.
FAQ
Battat surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Battat?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Battat. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Battat?
Battat ranks #142,049 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 120 people with the surname Battat. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Battat.
Has Battat become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Battat went from 130 recorded bearers to 120. That is a decrease of 10 (-7.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #130,610 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Battat?
Among Census respondents with the surname Battat, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Black (1.7%). 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 Battat in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.5% (111 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Battat appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.5%), Two or More Races (4.2%), Black (1.7%). 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 Battat (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 Battat mean?
A Hebrew surname derived from the biblical name Battus or referring to people from the town of Batta. 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 Battat (0.04 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 many people share the surname Battat?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.