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

Patten, 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 Patten surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Patten in America

Patten is the 3059th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Patten surname appeared 11,730 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Patten.

We can also compare 2010 data for Patten 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 Patten

The surname Patten originated in England, specifically in the northern counties. It is derived from the Old English word "pæth," meaning a path or track. The earliest recorded spelling of the name was found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appeared as "Patyn."

In medieval times, the name was often used as a descriptive term for someone who lived near a path or roadway. It was also sometimes given as an occupational name to those who were responsible for maintaining paths or roads. The name Patten was particularly common in the counties of Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Cheshire.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was John Patten, who was born in Warrington, Lancashire, around 1450. Another notable figure was William Patten, an English writer and diplomat who lived from 1510 to 1598. He is best known for his account of the Scottish expedition of 1548, titled "The Expedicion into Scotlande."

In the 17th century, the name Patten appeared in various forms, including Paton, Patton, and Pattin. One notable bearer was William Patten (1638-1718), an English clergyman and author who wrote several theological works.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Patten surname was found throughout England, particularly in the north. Some notable individuals from this period include:

1. George Patten (1752-1819), an English businessman and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London.
2. John Wilson Patten (1789-1864), an English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the National Gallery.
3. Julia Patten (1812-1901), an English author and philanthropist known for her work with the poor in London.

In the 20th century, the name Patten continued to be prominent, with individuals such as:

1. John Patten, Baron Patten of Barnes (born 1945), a British politician who served as the last Governor of Hong Kong from 1992 to 1997.
2. Chris Patten, Baron Patten of Barnes (born 1944), a British politician and former European Commissioner for External Relations.

The Patten surname has a long and rich history in England, spanning centuries and encompassing individuals from various walks of life, including writers, clergymen, politicians, and architects.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Patten

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

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

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

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