2000
#135,837
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Golat
A surname of possibly Polish origin, potentially derived from the word "goląć" meaning "to shave."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Golat. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Golat 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Golat in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Golat, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Golat
The surname GOLAT has its origins in Eastern Europe, specifically in the region of modern-day Poland and Ukraine. The name is believed to have emerged in the 14th or 15th century, derived from the Polish word "golaty," which translates to "bare" or "bald." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a descriptive nickname for someone who was bald or had little hair.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the GOLAT surname can be found in the historical records of the town of Poznań, located in western Poland. In a document dated 1437, a man named Jan GOLAT is mentioned as a landowner and farmer in the region. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the area during that time.
As the name spread across Eastern Europe, various spelling variations emerged, such as GOLATH, GOLATH, and GOLATSCH. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and differences in pronunciation or transcription.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named Mikołaj GOLAT (1520-1587) was a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Lviv, which was part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth at the time. Mikołaj GOLAT was known for his extensive trade networks and played a significant role in the economic development of the region.
Moving forward to the 17th century, a man named Wojciech GOLAT (1645-1712) gained recognition as a skilled artisan and sculptor in the city of Kraków. His intricate woodcarvings adorned several churches and public buildings in the area, showcasing his artistic talent and craftsmanship.
In the 18th century, the GOLAT surname was also found in the region of Galicia, which was then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. One notable figure from this era was Jan GOLAT (1758-1832), a respected teacher and scholar who contributed to the education system in the city of Lviv.
Another prominent individual with the GOLAT surname was Tadeusz GOLAT (1867-1942), a Polish writer and poet who lived during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His works explored themes of love, nature, and the human experience, and he was celebrated for his lyrical and evocative writing style.
While the GOLAT surname may have originated as a descriptive nickname, it has evolved over the centuries and become firmly rooted in the cultural heritage of Eastern Europe. The name has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, merchants, artists, educators, and writers, contributing to the rich tapestry of history and tradition.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Golat
Among Census respondents with the surname Golat, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Golat 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 Golat surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.1% · 111
- Hispanic or Latino4.2% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
- Two or more races0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Golat
Golat 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
#133,863
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
+12 bearers (+10.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 1,974 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-8 bearers (-6.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,648 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #135,837 | 114 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,863 | 126 | 0.04 | +12 bearers (+10.5%) | Up 1,974 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | -8 bearers (-6.3%) | Down 9,648 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 Golat 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 | #133,863 | #143,511 | -7.2% |
| Count | 126 | 118 | -6.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Golat bearers went from 126 to 118 (-6.3% change). The surname moved down 9,648 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,863 to #143,511.
FAQ
Golat surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Golat?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Golat. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Golat?
Golat ranks #143,511 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 118 people with the surname Golat. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), 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 Golat.
Has Golat become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Golat went from 126 recorded bearers to 118. That is a decrease of 8 (-6.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,863 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Golat?
Among Census respondents with the surname Golat, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%). 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 Golat in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.1% (111 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Golat appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.1%), Hispanic (4.2%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%). 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 Golat (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 Golat mean?
A surname of possibly Polish origin, potentially derived from the word "goląć" meaning "to shave." 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 Golat (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 common is the surname Golat?
See how many Americans have the surname Golat on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.