2000
#146,011
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Katte
A surname of uncertain origin, possibly derived from the Old Dutch word "katte" meaning "cat".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Katte. 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 Katte 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 Katte 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 Katte, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (15.3%) and Two or More Races (5.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Katte
The surname KATTE is believed to have originated in Germany, tracing its roots back to the 16th century. It is derived from the German word "Katte," which means "cat." This suggests that the name may have initially been a nickname or descriptive term for an individual who exhibited feline-like characteristics or had a close association with cats.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the KATTE surname can be found in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, located in the Franconia region of Bavaria, Germany. Historical records from the late 1500s mention a family by the name of KATTE residing in this area, indicating their presence during that time period.
In the 17th century, the KATTE name appears in various church records and official documents across various German states, including Saxony, Brandenburg, and Pomerania. This suggests that the name had spread to different regions, possibly due to migration or the establishment of new family branches.
A notable figure bearing the KATTE surname was Hans Hermann von Katte (1703-1730), a Prussian officer who was executed for his involvement in the infamous Crown Prince Frederick's attempt to flee Prussia. Frederick, who later became King Frederick the Great, had formed a close friendship with von Katte, and their ill-fated escape plan led to von Katte's tragic demise.
Another prominent individual was Johann Christian Katte (1723-1797), a German botanist and physician who made significant contributions to the study of plant taxonomy. He is remembered for his work on the genus Rubus, commonly known as blackberries and raspberries.
In the 19th century, the KATTE surname can be found in various historical records, including birth, marriage, and death registers across Germany. One notable mention is Friedrich Wilhelm Katte (1808-1872), a German architect who designed several notable buildings in Berlin and other cities.
The KATTE name also appears to have spread to other parts of Europe, as evidenced by records from countries like France and the Netherlands. For instance, the Dutch painter Frits Katte (1887-1974) was born in Amsterdam and gained recognition for his landscape and still-life paintings.
While the KATTE surname has its origins in Germany, it has since been carried by individuals across various regions and countries, leaving a lasting impact on various fields throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Katte
Among Census respondents with the surname Katte, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (15.3%) and Two or More Races (5.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Katte 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 Katte surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White72.9% · 86
- Asian and Pacific Islander15.3% · 18
- Two or more races5.1% · 6
- Black or African American4.2% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Katte
Katte 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
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
+2 bearers (+1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,758 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+12 bearers (+11.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 10,258 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #146,011 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.9%) | Down 7,758 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | +12 bearers (+11.3%) | Up 10,258 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 Katte 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 | #153,769 | #143,511 | 6.7% |
| Count | 106 | 118 | 11.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Katte bearers went from 106 to 118 (+11.3% change). The surname moved up 10,258 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #143,511.
FAQ
Katte surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Katte?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Katte. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Katte?
Katte 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 Katte. 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 Katte.
Has Katte become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Katte went from 106 recorded bearers to 118. That is an increase of 12 (+11.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #153,769 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Katte?
Among Census respondents with the surname Katte, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (15.3%) and Two or More Races (5.1%). 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 Katte in the 2020 Census, accounting for 72.9% (86 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Katte appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (72.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (15.3%), Two or More Races (5.1%). 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 Katte (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 Katte mean?
A surname of uncertain origin, possibly derived from the Old Dutch word "katte" meaning "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 Katte (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 Katte?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans have the surname Katte at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.