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

Pate, 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 Pate surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pate in America

Pate is the 1208th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pate surname appeared 29,327 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 10 people would have the surname Pate.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pate 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 Pate

The surname Pate has its origins in France, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "paste," which referred to a small loaf or cake of bread. This suggests that the name may have originally been an occupational surname for a baker or someone who made or sold pastries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pate can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners and properties in England compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. This indicates that individuals bearing this surname likely arrived in England from Normandy following the Norman Conquest of 1066.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named John Pate was recorded as a citizen of London. During the same period, the name appeared in various historical documents across different regions of France, including the Île-de-France and the Normandy region.

The surname Pate has also been associated with several place names throughout history. For example, the village of Pate in Somerset, England, was once known as "Pate-ton," which likely referred to a settlement or farm owned by someone with the surname Pate.

Amongst the notable individuals who have borne the surname Pate, one can mention:

1. Walter Pate (1505-1565), an English academic and ecclesiastic who served as the President of Corpus Christi College, Oxford.
2. Henry Pate (1568-1634), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Tregony in Cornwall.
3. Richard Pate (1516-1588), an English clergyman who became the Bishop of Worcester and later the Bishop of Oxford.
4. Jean-Baptiste Pate (1767-1842), a French painter known for his landscape and portrait works.
5. William Pate (1666-1728), an English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. James Piccadilly.

While the surname Pate has experienced various spelling variations over time, such as Pates, Pait, and Payte, its French origins and connections to the baking trade have remained a consistent thread throughout its long history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pate

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

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

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

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