2000
#3,653
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,941
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.31
Rare Last name
Beattie
Derived from a diminutive form of the medieval Scottish name Bartholomew, meaning "son of Beatrice."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 9,916 Americans carry the last name Beattie. That puts it at #3,982 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.89 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 34,566 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Beattie 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Beattie with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
9.9K
1 in 34,566
Census rank
#3,982
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
8.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 8,647 bearers of the surname Beattie in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.89 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3982nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Beattie, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.0%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Beattie
The surname Beattie is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic personal name "Bèathaidh" or "Bèataidh," which means "life" or "lively." This name can be traced back to the 12th century in the region of Ayrshire, Scotland.
The earliest recorded instance of the name is found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England after the Scottish Wars of Independence. This record lists a person named "Johannes de Bety."
Over time, the name evolved through various spellings, including Bety, Batie, and Beattie. The latter spelling became the most common variation and is believed to have emerged in the 15th century.
One notable historical figure with this surname was John Beattie (1616-1653), a Scottish minister and theologian who was a member of the Westminster Assembly, a influential body that shaped the doctrine and practices of the Church of Scotland.
In the 17th century, the Beattie family held lands in the parish of Kilwinning, Ayrshire. A prominent member from this time was Robert Beattie (1642-1708), a Scottish minister and writer who authored several theological works.
During the 18th century, the Beatties were well-established landowners in Ayrshire and Renfrewshire. James Beattie (1735-1803), a renowned Scottish poet and philosopher, was born in Laurencekirk, Kincardineshire. His works, such as "The Minstrel," gained him widespread recognition.
Another notable figure with this surname was William Beattie (1793-1875), a Scottish physician and writer who served as the personal physician to Prince Albert and Queen Victoria. He wrote several medical treatises and was appointed the Queen's Household Physician.
In the 19th century, James Beattie (1810-1890) was a renowned Scottish architect responsible for designing numerous churches, schools, and public buildings throughout Scotland, including the United Presbyterian Church in Edinburgh.
The Beattie surname has a rich history rooted in Scotland, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. Over time, it has been associated with various notable individuals, including ministers, writers, philosophers, physicians, and architects, reflecting the diverse contributions of those bearing this name to Scottish society and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Beattie
Among Census respondents with the surname Beattie, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.0%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Beattie 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 Beattie surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.9% · 7,602
- Hispanic or Latino4.0% · 349
- Two or more races3.6% · 312
- Black or African American3.2% · 277
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 75
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 32
Timeline
Historical Census data for Beattie
Beattie 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
#3,955
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,993
+52 bearers (+0.6%)
Per 100,000 3.05
Rank movement Down 302 places
2020
#3,982
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,647
-346 bearers (-3.8%)
Per 100,000 2.89
Rank movement Down 27 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,653 | 8,941 | 3.31 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,955 | 8,993 | 3.05 | +52 bearers (+0.6%) | Down 302 places |
| 2020 | #3,982 | 8,647 | 2.89 | -346 bearers (-3.8%) | Down 27 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 Beattie 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 | #3,955 | #3,982 | -0.7% |
| Count | 8,993 | 8,647 | -3.8% |
| Per 100K | 3.05 | 2.89 | -5.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Beattie bearers went from 8,993 to 8,647 (-3.8% change). The surname moved down 27 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,955 to #3,982.
FAQ
Beattie surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Beattie?
Name Census estimates that about 9,916 living Americans carry the surname Beattie. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 34,566 residents.
How common is Beattie?
Beattie ranks #3,982 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.89 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 8,647 people with the surname Beattie. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (9,916), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.89 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.89 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Beattie.
Has Beattie become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Beattie went from 8,993 recorded bearers to 8,647. That is a decrease of 346 (-3.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #3,955 to #3,982.
What does the Census say about the background of Beattie?
Among Census respondents with the surname Beattie, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.0%) and Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Beattie in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.9% (7,602 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Beattie appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.9%), Hispanic (4.0%), Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Beattie (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 Beattie mean?
Derived from a diminutive form of the medieval Scottish name Bartholomew, meaning "son of Beatrice." 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 Beattie (2.89 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 Americans have the surname Beattie?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.