2000
#125,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Catrow
A locational surname derived from a placename, possibly referring to someone from a row of cottages.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Catrow. That puts it at #150,935 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,764,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Catrow 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
124
1 in 2,764,148
Census rank
#150,935
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
108
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 108 bearers of the surname Catrow in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150935th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Catrow, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.2%) and Black (3.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Catrow
The surname Catrow has its origins in England, tracing back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "catt" and "row," which translate to "cat" and "row" or "line," respectively. This combination likely referred to a person who lived near a row or line of houses inhabited by cats or a place where cats were prevalent.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Catrow can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mentions a John Catrow. This suggests that the name was already established in the region during that period.
In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Catrowe, Cattrowe, and Cattrow, reflecting the inconsistencies in spelling common at the time. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and scribes' interpretations.
The Catrow surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure was William Catrow (1572-1641), an English clergyman who served as the Rector of Waltham St. Lawrence in Berkshire. Another noteworthy individual was John Catrow (1648-1715), a renowned architect and surveyor who contributed to the rebuilding efforts in London after the Great Fire of 1666.
In the 18th century, the Catrow name gained further recognition with the birth of Samuel Catrow (1708-1789), a celebrated English artist known for his landscape paintings and etchings. His works were widely admired and can be found in various collections throughout the United Kingdom.
Another significant figure bearing the Catrow surname was Mary Catrow (1788-1865), a prominent philanthropist and social reformer. She dedicated her life to improving the living conditions of the poor and advocating for education and healthcare initiatives in her local community.
The Catrow surname has also been linked to several place names in England, including Catrow Green in Worcestershire and Catrow Farm in Oxfordshire. These locations likely derived their names from the presence of Catrow families in the surrounding areas.
While the surname Catrow is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history dating back centuries and has been associated with notable individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Catrow
Among Census respondents with the surname Catrow, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.2%) and Black (3.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Catrow 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 Catrow surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White80.6% · 87
- Two or more races10.2% · 11
- Black or African American3.7% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Catrow
Catrow 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
#147,253
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-14 bearers (-11.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 21,614 places
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-4 bearers (-3.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,682 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #125,639 | 126 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #147,253 | 112 | 0.04 | -14 bearers (-11.1%) | Down 21,614 places |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | -4 bearers (-3.6%) | Down 3,682 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 Catrow 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 | #147,253 | #150,935 | -2.5% |
| Count | 112 | 108 | -3.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Catrow bearers went from 112 to 108 (-3.6% change). The surname moved down 3,682 positions in the national ranking, going from #147,253 to #150,935.
FAQ
Catrow surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Catrow?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Catrow. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Catrow?
Catrow ranks #150,935 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 108 people with the surname Catrow. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (124), 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 Catrow.
Has Catrow become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Catrow went from 112 recorded bearers to 108. That is a decrease of 4 (-3.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #147,253 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Catrow?
Among Census respondents with the surname Catrow, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.2%) and Black (3.7%). 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 Catrow in the 2020 Census, accounting for 80.6% (87 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Catrow appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (80.6%), Two or More Races (10.2%), Black (3.7%). 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 Catrow (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 Catrow mean?
A locational surname derived from a placename, possibly referring to someone from a row of cottages. 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 Catrow (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 share the surname Catrow?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.