2000
#121,058
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 132
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Catha
A German surname derived from the Old High German word "chadho" meaning warrior or soldier.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Catha. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Catha 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Catha in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Catha, the largest self-reported group is White at 61.7%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (20.6%) and Hispanic (7.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Catha
The surname Catha is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, with its earliest known roots traced back to the 13th century. The name is thought to derive from the Old English word "cæth," meaning "wild" or "fierce," suggesting that it may have been initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone with a bold or aggressive demeanor.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Catha name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, a collection of medieval tax records from 1273, which mentions a "Willelmus Catha." This entry suggests that the surname was already established by the late 13th century, likely originating as a byname before becoming an inherited family name.
In the 14th century, the Catha surname appears in various historical documents, including the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, which lists a "Johannes Catha" from the village of Wharram Percy. This record provides evidence of the name's presence in the northern regions of England during this time period.
Throughout the centuries, the Catha surname has been subject to various spelling variations, such as Cather, Cathow, and Cathow, reflecting the inconsistencies in record-keeping and regional dialects of the time. Additionally, some early references suggest a potential connection between the Catha name and certain place names, such as Catham or Cathaugh, although the exact origins of these associations remain uncertain.
Notable individuals who have borne the Catha surname include:
1. William Catha (c. 1325 - 1389), a wealthy merchant from York who was involved in the wool trade and served as a city alderman.
2. John Catha (c. 1460 - 1522), a prominent landowner and member of the gentry in Lincolnshire, known for his involvement in local politics and disputes over land rights.
3. Elizabeth Catha (c. 1570 - 1635), a renowned herbalist and midwife from Oxfordshire, renowned for her extensive knowledge of medicinal plants and her contributions to women's healthcare.
4. Thomas Catha (c. 1620 - 1692), a Puritan minister who emigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630s and served as a pastor in several New England towns.
5. Henry Catha (1772 - 1848), an English inventor and engineer who is credited with developing an early form of the safety valve for steam engines, contributing to the advancement of industrial technology during the Industrial Revolution.
While the Catha surname may have originated as a descriptive nickname, it has evolved into a proud family name with a rich history spanning multiple centuries and regions of England. Despite its relatively uncommon nature, the name has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, leaving an indelible mark on the annals of English history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Catha
Among Census respondents with the surname Catha, the largest self-reported group is White at 61.7%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (20.6%) and Hispanic (7.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Catha 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 Catha surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White61.7% · 66
- American Indian and Alaska Native20.6% · 22
- Hispanic or Latino7.5% · 8
- Black or African American6.5% · 7
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.8% · 3
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Catha
Catha 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
#129,825
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 131
-1 bearers (-0.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,767 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-24 bearers (-18.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 21,814 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #121,058 | 132 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #129,825 | 131 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.8%) | Down 8,767 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -24 bearers (-18.3%) | Down 21,814 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 Catha 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 | #129,825 | #151,639 | -16.8% |
| Count | 131 | 107 | -18.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Catha bearers went from 131 to 107 (-18.3% change). The surname moved down 21,814 positions in the national ranking, going from #129,825 to #151,639.
FAQ
Catha surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Catha?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Catha. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Catha?
Catha ranks #151,639 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 107 people with the surname Catha. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), 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 Catha.
Has Catha become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Catha went from 131 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 24 (-18.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #129,825 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Catha?
Among Census respondents with the surname Catha, the largest self-reported group is White at 61.7%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (20.6%) and Hispanic (7.5%). 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 Catha in the 2020 Census, accounting for 61.7% (66 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Catha appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (61.7%), American Indian/Alaska Native (20.6%), Hispanic (7.5%). 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 Catha (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 Catha mean?
A German surname derived from the Old High German word "chadho" meaning warrior or soldier. 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 Catha (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 have the last name Catha?
If you just want to know how many people have the surname Catha, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.