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

Flatt, 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 Flatt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Flatt in America

Flatt is the 6664th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Flatt surname appeared 5,068 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Flatt.

We can also compare 2010 data for Flatt 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 Flatt

The surname Flatt is of English origin, first recorded in the late 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "flatt," meaning "flat" or "level ground," suggesting that the name was originally a topographic surname given to someone who lived on a flat area of land.

Early records of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273, where it is spelled "Flatte." The Flatt surname is also mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield, Yorkshire, in 1345, indicating its presence in Northern England.

During the medieval period, the Flatt family was primarily concentrated in the counties of Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, and Lincolnshire. The name is also found in various records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327 and the Pipe Rolls of Warwickshire in 1332.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Flatt, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1327. Another notable individual was William Flatt, born around 1450 in Lincolnshire, who was a prominent landowner and member of the local gentry.

In the 16th century, the surname Flatt appeared in the parish records of several villages in Nottinghamshire, including Mansfield and Sutton-in-Ashfield. Thomas Flatt, born in 1543 in Mansfield, was a respected farmer and landowner in the area.

During the 17th century, the Flatt family expanded their presence to other parts of England. Robert Flatt, born in 1612 in Yorkshire, was a successful merchant who settled in London and became a member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers.

One of the most notable figures with the Flatt surname was Sir John Flatt (1670-1736), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Lincolnshire. He was knighted by King George I in 1715 and played a significant role in local politics.

Another prominent individual was William Flatt (1738-1805), a renowned clockmaker from Nottinghamshire. His clocks were highly sought after and can still be found in museums and private collections today.

In the 19th century, the Flatt surname was well-established in various parts of England, with families residing in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, and other counties. One notable bearer of the name was James Flatt (1823-1901), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Yorkshire, who donated generously to local charities and educational institutions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Flatt

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

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

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

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