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

Coates, 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 Coates surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Coates in America

Coates is the 1512th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Coates surname appeared 23,725 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 8 people would have the surname Coates.

We can also compare 2010 data for Coates 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 Coates

The surname Coates originated in England during the medieval period, deriving from the Anglo-Saxon word "cot," meaning a small homestead or cottage. It was a topographic name referring to someone who lived in a small dwelling or near a cluster of cottages.

The name can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appeared in various spellings, such as "Cotes" and "Cottes." These early records suggest that the name was prevalent in several counties, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Northumberland in 1195, where a William de Cotes is mentioned. The surname also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, with the entry of a Richard de Cotes.

The name Coates is closely associated with several place names across England, such as Coates in Gloucestershire, Coates in Cambridgeshire, and Coates in Lincolnshire. These localities likely contributed to the spread and adoption of the surname in their respective regions.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Coates. One such figure is Robert Coates (1772-1848), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and was awarded the Naval Gold Medal for his bravery. Another prominent bearer of the name was Thomas Coates (1766-1832), an English architect known for his work on the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge.

In the literary realm, Mary Coates (1784-1857) was a British writer and poet who published several volumes of poetry and religious works. Albert Coates (1882-1953), a British conductor and composer, is also remembered for his contributions to music.

The surname Coates has also been associated with notable figures in sports. One example is John Coates (born 1950), an Australian sports administrator who served as the President of the Australian Olympic Committee and Vice President of the International Olympic Committee.

These examples illustrate the diverse backgrounds and achievements of individuals bearing the surname Coates, which has its roots firmly planted in the history and geography of England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Coates

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

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 Coates 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 Coates 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 Coates was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!