2000
#6,792
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,574
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.70
Rare Last name
Catlin
Derived from a diminutive of Catherine, meaning "pure," or from a place name meaning "little cat."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,354 Americans carry the last name Catlin. That puts it at #6,932 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.56 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 64,018 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Catlin 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 Catlin with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.4K
1 in 64,018
Census rank
#6,932
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,669 bearers of the surname Catlin in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.56 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6932nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Catlin, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.2%. The next largest groups are Black (13.2%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Catlin
The surname Catlin originated in England during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "catt," meaning "cat," and the suffix "-lin," indicating a diminutive or small form. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone with a connection to cats, perhaps a cat breeder, owner, or even someone with cat-like characteristics.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Catlin can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Catelinus" in Lincolnshire. This indicates that the name was already in use by the late 11th century in parts of England.
In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms, including "Catelyn," "Cattelyne," and "Cattelain," reflecting regional spellings and pronunciations. During this period, the name was particularly prevalent in counties such as Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex.
A notable historical figure bearing the Catlin surname was George Catlin (1796-1872), an American artist, author, and traveler best known for his depictions of Native American life and culture. His works provided valuable insights into the indigenous peoples of the American West.
Another prominent Catlin was Thomas Catlin (1600-1670), an English clergyman and author who served as the vicar of Battersea and published several religious works, including "The Doctrine of the Two Covenants" and "A Treatise on the Graces of Justification and Sanctification."
In the 18th century, Robert Catlin (1730-1808) was a British officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War. He commanded several ships and participated in notable battles against the American colonists.
Moving forward to the 19th century, George Catlin (1808-1888), an English-born Australian politician and businessman, played a significant role in the early development of the colony of South Australia. He served as a member of the Legislative Council and was involved in various commercial ventures.
Another noteworthy figure was Henry Catlin (1872-1931), an American lawyer and politician who served as the 12th Lieutenant Governor of Missouri from 1921 to 1925. He was also involved in several business ventures and philanthropic endeavors.
The Catlin surname has roots stretching back to medieval England and has been associated with various historical figures across different fields, including art, literature, military, politics, and business. Despite its diminutive origins, the name has gained a notable presence throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Catlin
Among Census respondents with the surname Catlin, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.2%. The next largest groups are Black (13.2%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Catlin 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 Catlin surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White78.2% · 3,652
- Black or African American13.2% · 616
- Two or more races3.9% · 181
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 152
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 43
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 25
Timeline
Historical Census data for Catlin
Catlin 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
#6,940
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,831
+257 bearers (+5.6%)
Per 100,000 1.64
Rank movement Down 148 places
2020
#6,932
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,669
-162 bearers (-3.4%)
Per 100,000 1.56
Rank movement Up 8 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,792 | 4,574 | 1.70 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,940 | 4,831 | 1.64 | +257 bearers (+5.6%) | Down 148 places |
| 2020 | #6,932 | 4,669 | 1.56 | -162 bearers (-3.4%) | Up 8 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 Catlin 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 | #6,940 | #6,932 | 0.1% |
| Count | 4,831 | 4,669 | -3.4% |
| Per 100K | 1.64 | 1.56 | -4.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Catlin bearers went from 4,831 to 4,669 (-3.4% change). The surname moved up 8 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,940 to #6,932.
FAQ
Catlin surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Catlin?
Name Census estimates that about 5,354 living Americans carry the surname Catlin. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 64,018 residents.
How common is Catlin?
Catlin ranks #6,932 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.56 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,669 people with the surname Catlin. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,354), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.56 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.56 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Catlin.
Has Catlin become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Catlin went from 4,831 recorded bearers to 4,669. That is a decrease of 162 (-3.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #6,940 to #6,932.
What does the Census say about the background of Catlin?
Among Census respondents with the surname Catlin, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.2%. The next largest groups are Black (13.2%) and Two or More Races (3.9%). 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 Catlin in the 2020 Census, accounting for 78.2% (3,652 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Catlin appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (78.2%), Black (13.2%), Two or More Races (3.9%). 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 Catlin (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 Catlin mean?
Derived from a diminutive of Catherine, meaning "pure," or from a place name meaning "little cat." 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 Catlin (1.56 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 are called Catlin?
Find out how many people have the surname Catlin on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.