2000
#147,095
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Catlette
A corruption of the surname Catlett, derived from a diminutive of the name Catherine.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Catlette. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Catlette 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
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Catlette in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Catlette, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.1%. The next largest groups are Black (14.2%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Catlette
The surname Catlette has its origins in medieval England, deriving from the Old French word "catelett," which referred to a small cat. This name likely emerged during the 12th or 13th century and was originally used as a nickname or descriptive term for someone who had a physical or behavioral resemblance to a cat.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Catlette can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, which date back to 1170. These rolls were administrative records kept by the English Exchequer, and they mention a person named William Catlette who resided in the village of Bingley.
The Catlette surname also appears in the Hundred Rolls, a census-like survey conducted in England during the reign of King Edward I (1272-1307). These rolls list individuals named Catlette in various counties, including Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Gloucestershire.
As time passed, the name underwent slight variations in spelling, with forms such as Catlett, Catelet, and Catelot being recorded in various historical documents. These variations were likely due to regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the time.
One notable individual bearing the Catlette surname was Sir John Catlette (1520-1584), a prominent English lawyer and judge who served as a Justice of the Court of King's Bench during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was born in Hertfordshire and is remembered for his contributions to the development of English common law.
Another figure of note was Thomas Catlette (1645-1712), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Wimbish in Essex. He published several theological works, including "A Treatise on the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper" and "A Discourse on the Nature and Necessity of Regeneration."
In the 17th century, the Catlette surname can also be found in colonial America. One example is William Catlette (1635-1712), an early settler in Virginia who owned a plantation in Charles City County. His descendants went on to become prominent landowners and community leaders in the region.
A later example is Mary Catlette (1790-1868), a renowned educator and advocate for women's education in Virginia. She established several successful schools and was instrumental in promoting the idea of higher education for women during a time when such opportunities were limited.
While the surname Catlette is relatively uncommon, it has persisted through the centuries, with various individuals bearing this name leaving their mark in diverse fields, from law and religion to education and colonial settlement.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Catlette
Among Census respondents with the surname Catlette, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.1%. The next largest groups are Black (14.2%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Catlette 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 Catlette surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.1% · 86
- Black or African American14.2% · 15
- Hispanic or Latino1.9% · 2
- Two or more races1.9% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Catlette
Catlette 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
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
-1 bearers (-1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 11,337 places
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
+4 bearers (+3.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,093 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #147,095 | 103 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | -1 bearers (-1.0%) | Down 11,337 places |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.9%) | Up 6,093 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 Catlette 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 | #158,432 | #152,339 | 3.8% |
| Count | 102 | 106 | 3.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 18.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Catlette bearers went from 102 to 106 (+3.9% change). The surname moved up 6,093 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #152,339.
FAQ
Catlette surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Catlette?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Catlette. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Catlette?
Catlette ranks #152,339 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 106 people with the surname Catlette. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), 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 Catlette.
Has Catlette become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Catlette went from 102 recorded bearers to 106. That is an increase of 4 (+3.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Catlette?
Among Census respondents with the surname Catlette, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.1%. The next largest groups are Black (14.2%) and Hispanic (1.9%). 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 Catlette in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.1% (86 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Catlette appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (81.1%), Black (14.2%), Hispanic (1.9%). 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 Catlette (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 Catlette mean?
A corruption of the surname Catlett, derived from a diminutive of the name Catherine. 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 Catlette (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 Americans have the surname Catlette?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.