2010
#152,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Catches
A surname derived from a Middle English word meaning "to seize" or "to capture".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Catches. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Catches 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
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Catches in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Catches, the largest self-reported group is American Indian/Alaska Native at 67.6%. The next largest groups are White (18.0%) and Hispanic (8.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Catches
The surname CATCHES has its origins in England, with the earliest known records of the name dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "cacc", meaning "to catch" or "to seize", and was likely an occupational name for someone who worked as a hunter or a trapper.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire from 1273, where a Robert le Caccher is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already well-established in medieval England at that time.
During the 14th century, the name began to appear in various forms, such as Caccher, Catcher, and Catchere, reflecting the evolution of the English language and spelling conventions. In the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, a Walter le Caccher is listed, while the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379 mention a John Catcher.
Interestingly, the name CATCHES may also have been influenced by the Old French word "cachier", which had a similar meaning to the Old English "cacc". This could indicate that some bearers of the name may have had Norman ancestry or connections.
Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the surname CATCHES. One of the earliest was Sir John Catches (c. 1345 - 1412), a Knight of the Garter and a prominent military commander during the Hundred Years' War. Another was William Catches (1515 - 1589), a renowned scholar and translator who worked on the Bishop's Bible.
In the 17th century, Thomas Catches (1628 - 1697) was a respected theologian and author who wrote several influential works on religious subjects. During the 18th century, Samuel Catches (1734 - 1804) made a name for himself as a successful merchant and entrepreneur in the city of Bristol.
One of the most notable bearers of the name CATCHES in recent history was Sir Edward Catches (1892 - 1976), a distinguished diplomat and statesman who served as Ambassador to several countries and played a crucial role in the formation of the United Nations.
While the surname CATCHES may have evolved over time, its origins as an occupational name related to hunting and trapping have remained a consistent theme throughout its history, with many bearers of the name making significant contributions in various fields over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Catches
Among Census respondents with the surname Catches, the largest self-reported group is American Indian/Alaska Native at 67.6%. The next largest groups are White (18.0%) and Hispanic (8.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Catches 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 Catches surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- American Indian and Alaska Native67.6% · 75
- White18.0% · 20
- Hispanic or Latino8.1% · 9
- Black or African American3.6% · 4
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Catches
Catches appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+4 bearers (+3.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,963 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #152,628 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.7%) | Up 3,963 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 Catches 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 | #152,628 | #148,665 | 2.6% |
| Count | 107 | 111 | 3.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Catches bearers went from 107 to 111 (+3.7% change). The surname moved up 3,963 positions in the national ranking, going from #152,628 to #148,665.
FAQ
Catches surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Catches?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Catches. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Catches?
Catches ranks #148,665 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 111 people with the surname Catches. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), 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 Catches.
Has Catches become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Catches went from 107 recorded bearers to 111. That is an increase of 4 (+3.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #152,628 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Catches?
Among Census respondents with the surname Catches, the largest self-reported group is American Indian/Alaska Native at 67.6%. The next largest groups are White (18.0%) and Hispanic (8.1%). 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?
American Indian/Alaska Native is the largest self-reported group for the surname Catches in the 2020 Census, accounting for 67.6% (75 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Catches appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are American Indian/Alaska Native (67.6%), White (18.0%), Hispanic (8.1%). 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 Catches (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 Catches mean?
A surname derived from a Middle English word meaning "to seize" or "to capture". 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 Catches (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 common is the surname Catches?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Catches on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.