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

Rata, 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 Rata surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rata in America

Rata is the 120901st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rata surname appeared 143 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 Rata.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rata 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 Rata

The surname "RATA" is believed to have originated in Spain during the medieval period. It is derived from the Spanish word "rata," which means "rat." This name was likely given as a nickname to someone who was associated with rats, possibly due to their appearance, occupation, or place of residence.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "RATA" can be found in the Catalan region of Spain, where it was documented in the 14th century. The name was also present in other parts of Spain, such as Andalusia and Castile.

In the 15th century, the name "RATA" appeared in several historical records, including the census records of the city of Seville. This suggests that the name had become well-established in certain regions of Spain during that time period.

The name "RATA" was also found in some medieval manuscripts, particularly those related to trade and commerce. This could indicate that individuals with this surname were involved in business activities or worked as merchants.

One notable bearer of the surname "RATA" was Juan Rata, a Spanish explorer who participated in the Spanish conquest of the Americas in the 16th century. He accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expedition to Mexico and is mentioned in several historical accounts from that period.

Another prominent figure with the surname "RATA" was Pedro Rata, a Spanish painter who lived in the 17th century. He was known for his religious paintings and worked extensively for churches and monasteries in Spain.

In the 18th century, the name "RATA" was also found in parts of Italy, particularly in the regions of Piedmont and Liguria. This could be due to Spanish influence or migration patterns during that time.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name "RATA" in Italy was Francesco Rata, a merchant from Genoa who lived in the late 17th century. He was involved in the trade of silk and spices between Italy and the Middle East.

Another notable Italian with the surname "RATA" was Giacomo Rata, a writer and poet who lived in the 18th century. He was known for his satirical works and was part of the Enlightenment movement in Italy.

Over the centuries, the surname "RATA" has also been associated with various place names and older spellings. For instance, in some regions of Spain, it was sometimes spelled as "Ratta" or "Ratas." Additionally, there are several towns and villages in Spain that have names derived from the word "rata," such as Ratones and Ratería.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rata

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

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

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

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