Find out how popular the last name Cater is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Cater.

Cater, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Cater surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cater in America

Cater is the 8419th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cater surname appeared 3,926 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Cater.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cater to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Cater

The surname Cater is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "catu," which means "buyer" or "provider of food." This suggests that the name was initially given to someone whose occupation involved buying or providing food, perhaps a merchant or a purveyor of provisions.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Cater can be traced back to the late 12th century. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William le Cater, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1202. The use of the prefix "le" before the surname was a common practice at the time, indicating the person's occupation or place of origin.

In the 13th century, the surname Cater appeared in various forms, including Catur, Catour, and Catere. These variations reflect the inconsistent spelling practices of the time and the influence of regional dialects. One notable bearer of the name during this period was John le Catour, who was recorded in the Patent Rolls of 1277.

The Cater surname has been associated with several place names in England, such as Caterham in Surrey and Caterall in Lancashire. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time, or they may have been derived from the surname itself.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the Cater surname continued to be recorded in various historical documents, including the Subsidy Rolls and the Lay Subsidy Rolls. One notable figure from this period was Thomas Cater, a merchant from Bristol who was involved in the wool trade and served as a member of Parliament in 1420.

In the 16th century, the surname Cater gained prominence with the rise of the Cater family of Oxfordshire. Sir Edward Cater (1531-1596) was a prominent member of this family and served as a Member of Parliament and a Justice of the Peace. His grandson, Sir Robert Cater (1589-1665), was a noted scholar and benefactor of Oxford University.

Other notable individuals with the surname Cater throughout history include:

1. Thomas Cater (c. 1570-1634), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge.
2. William Cater (1779-1858), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Vice-Admiral.
3. John Cater (1852-1919), a British architect known for his work on churches and public buildings in London.
4. Wilfred Cater (1895-1977), a British painter and illustrator who was known for his depictions of rural life in England.
5. Dorothy Cater (1910-1988), an American educator and activist who advocated for the integration of schools in the United States.

While the surname Cater has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and the influence of the British Empire. Today, the name can be found in various countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cater

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Cater.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Cater was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Cater has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Cater was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Cater, please contact us.

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