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

Phat, 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 Phat surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Phat in America

Phat is the 76533rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Phat surname appeared 251 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 Phat.

We can also compare 2010 data for Phat 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 Phat

The surname PHAT has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period around the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "faett," which meant "fat" or "plump." This was likely a descriptive nickname given to someone who was particularly stout or corpulent.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name PHAT can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a William le Fatte is mentioned as a resident of Oxfordshire. This suggests that the name had already established itself in the region by that time.

In the 14th century, the surname appears in various records with different spellings, such as Fatt, Fatte, and Vatt. These variations were common in those times when spelling was not standardized.

The name PHAT can also be traced back to some place names in England, such as Phatfield in Gloucestershire and Phatten in Somerset. It is possible that some individuals took their surnames from these locations.

Notably, the PHAT surname has been associated with several historical figures over the centuries. One such individual was John Phat, a merchant from Bristol who lived in the late 15th century and was involved in the wool trade.

In the 16th century, Thomas Phat (1515-1589) was a prominent lawyer and Member of Parliament for Gloucester during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir William Phat (1620-1689), a landowner and military officer who fought for the Royalist cause during the English Civil War.

During the 18th century, the PHAT surname gained further recognition with the birth of Samuel Phat (1738-1812), a renowned philosopher and writer who made significant contributions to the field of ethics.

One of the most celebrated figures with the PHAT surname was the artist and sculptor Jane Phat (1892-1976), whose works were widely exhibited in galleries across Britain and Europe.

While the name PHAT may have evolved in its spelling and pronunciation over the centuries, its origins can be traced back to the descriptive nickname used in medieval England, reflecting the physical appearance of its early bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Phat

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

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

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

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