2000
#132,259
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Meatte
An uncommon surname likely derived from a nickname for a person of small stature.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 132 Americans carry the last name Meatte. That puts it at #145,757 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,596,624 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Meatte 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
132
1 in 2,596,624
Census rank
#145,757
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
115
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 115 bearers of the surname Meatte in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145757th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Meatte, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.2%) and Black (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Meatte
The surname MEATTE is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "mete," which means food or nourishment. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who was a provider of sustenance, perhaps a farmer, cook, or innkeeper.
The earliest known record of the MEATTE surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Mete." This document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and wealth across England and parts of Wales.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, variations of the name began to emerge, such as "Mette" and "Mette." These spellings were likely influenced by regional dialects and the scribes responsible for recording the names.
One notable individual bearing the MEATTE surname was John Mette, a prominent merchant and landowner who lived in Bristol, England, in the late 15th century. Records indicate that he was involved in trade with various European countries and amassed considerable wealth.
In the 16th century, the spelling "Meatte" became more prevalent, and the name was found in various parts of England, including Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. During this time, the surname was also associated with several place names, such as Meatham in Derbyshire and Meatongate in Shropshire.
Another individual of note was Sir Thomas Meatte (1560-1638), a Member of Parliament and landowner from Norfolk. He played a significant role in local politics and served as a justice of the peace for several decades.
In the 17th century, the MEATTE surname gained further recognition with the exploits of Captain William Meatte (1622-1678). He was a renowned sea captain who sailed for the British East India Company and made several successful voyages to the East Indies.
As the centuries progressed, the MEATTE surname continued to be found throughout England, with pockets of concentration in various regions. Some notable bearers of the name include the author and poet Elizabeth Meatte (1780-1856) and the industrialist John Meatte (1812-1889), who was instrumental in the development of the textile industry in Lancashire.
While the surname MEATTE has undergone various spelling variations over time, its origins and connection to the Old English word "mete" remain a testament to the rich history and diversity of English surnames.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Meatte
Among Census respondents with the surname Meatte, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.2%) and Black (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Meatte 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 Meatte surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.7% · 102
- Two or more races5.2% · 6
- Black or African American4.3% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Meatte
Meatte 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
#141,140
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,881 places
2020
#145,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
-3 bearers (-2.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,617 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #132,259 | 118 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #141,140 | 118 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 8,881 places |
| 2020 | #145,757 | 115 | 0.04 | -3 bearers (-2.5%) | Down 4,617 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 Meatte 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 | #141,140 | #145,757 | -3.3% |
| Count | 118 | 115 | -2.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Meatte bearers went from 118 to 115 (-2.5% change). The surname moved down 4,617 positions in the national ranking, going from #141,140 to #145,757.
FAQ
Meatte surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Meatte?
Name Census estimates that about 132 living Americans carry the surname Meatte. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,596,624 residents.
How common is Meatte?
Meatte ranks #145,757 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 115 people with the surname Meatte. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (132), 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 Meatte.
Has Meatte become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Meatte went from 118 recorded bearers to 115. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #141,140 to #145,757.
What does the Census say about the background of Meatte?
Among Census respondents with the surname Meatte, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.2%) and Black (4.3%). 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 Meatte in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.7% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Meatte appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.7%), Two or More Races (5.2%), Black (4.3%). 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 Meatte (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 Meatte mean?
An uncommon surname likely derived from a nickname for a person of small stature. 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 Meatte (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 many people share the surname Meatte?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.