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

Katterhagen, 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 Katterhagen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Katterhagen in America

Katterhagen is the 156044th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Katterhagen surname appeared 104 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Katterhagen.

The history of the last name Katterhagen

The surname Katterhagen originates from Germany, with its roots traced back to the 15th century. It is believed to have originated in the region of Lower Saxony, where it was derived from the Old German words "kater" meaning "tomcat" and "hagen" meaning "enclosure" or "hedge," potentially referring to a place where wildcats or bobcats were found.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the 1487 parish records of the town of Lüneburg, where a certain Hinrich Katterhagen is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the area by the late 15th century.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various historical documents, including land deeds and tax records from the duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg. A notable individual from this era was Hans Katterhagen, a merchant from Hanover who was granted special trading privileges in the city in 1542.

As the name spread across northern Germany, it underwent minor spelling variations, such as Katterhagen, Katerhagen, and Katterhaghen. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of local scribes.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name outside of Germany can be found in the Netherlands, where a certain Dirk Katterhagen is listed as a resident of Amsterdam in the city's 1624 census records.

Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the Katterhagen surname. These include:

1. Johann Katterhagen (1597-1668), a German theologian and author from Lüneburg.
2. Wilhelm Katterhagen (1718-1792), a German painter and engraver from Hannover, known for his landscapes and botanical illustrations.
3. Gottfried Katterhagen (1804-1876), a German politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Prussian House of Representatives in the mid-19th century.
4. Ernst Katterhagen (1859-1932), a German sculptor and artist from Hamburg, known for his public monuments and religious sculptures.
5. Ingrid Katterhagen (1920-2005), a German actress and theater director who had a successful career on stage and in film in the post-World War II era.

While the surname Katterhagen is not among the most common in Germany today, it has a rich history spanning over half a millennium and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, from merchants and artists to politicians and religious figures.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Katterhagen

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

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 Katterhagen 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.

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

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

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