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

Paten, 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 Paten surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Paten in America

Paten is the 84748th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Paten surname appeared 221 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 Paten.

We can also compare 2010 data for Paten 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 Paten

The surname PATEN is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "pætten," meaning "path" or "road." It is believed to have first emerged as a surname in the 12th or 13th century, referring to someone who lived near a well-traveled path or road.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname PATEN can be found in medieval English records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Paten." It is also listed in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379 as "Paten."

Some notable bearers of the PATEN surname throughout history include:

1. John Paten (c. 1470-1533), an English clergyman and educator who served as the headmaster of the prestigious St. Paul's School in London.

2. Robert Paten (1516-1594), an English Protestant reformer and Bishop of Winchester during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

3. William Paten (c. 1600-1678), a wealthy English merchant and ship owner who founded the Paten family's trading empire in the West Indies.

4. Mary Paten (1689-1768), a renowned English botanist and naturalist, known for her extensive collection of plant specimens and her contributions to the study of flora.

5. James Paten (1723-1801), a British military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and was renowned for his leadership at the Battle of Monmouth in 1778.

The surname PATEN has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Paten Bridge in Derbyshire, Paten Farm in Oxfordshire, and Paten Hill in Kent, further solidifying its historical connections to the English landscape and geography.

While the PATEN surname is relatively uncommon today, it holds a rich history and has been borne by notable figures across various fields, from education and religion to commerce and military service, leaving an indelible mark on the annals of English history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Paten

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

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

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

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