2000
#123,314
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 129
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Sabates
A surname derived from the Catalan word "sabata" meaning shoe, likely originally referring to a shoemaker.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 205 Americans carry the last name Sabates. That puts it at #106,101 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,671,972 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sabates surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
205
1 in 1,671,972
Census rank
#106,101
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
179
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 179 bearers of the surname Sabates in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 106101st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sabates, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 81.6%. The next largest groups are White (17.9%) and Two or More Races (0.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sabates
The surname Sabates is of Catalan origin, tracing its roots back to the region of Catalonia in northeastern Spain and parts of southern France. The name likely emerged in the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century.
Sabates is derived from the Catalan word "sabata," which translates to "shoe" or "boot." It is believed that the name was initially given as an occupational surname to individuals who worked as shoemakers or cobblers. Similar spellings were found in early records, such as Sabater and Sabaters.
One of the earliest documented references to the Sabates surname can be found in the census records of the town of Girona, located in the Catalonia region, dating back to the 15th century. The name appeared in various municipal records and tax rolls throughout the following centuries, indicating its presence in the region.
In the 16th century, a notable individual bearing the Sabates surname was Joan Sabates (c. 1520-1588), a renowned Catalan painter and sculptor. His works can be found in several churches and museums throughout Catalonia, showcasing the artistic talent associated with this name.
Another prominent figure was Francesc Sabates (1735-1808), a Catalan military officer who served in the Spanish Army during the late 18th century. He participated in several campaigns and played a significant role in the defense of Barcelona against French forces during the Peninsular War.
The Sabates surname also found its way to the New World, with some individuals emigrating from Catalonia to Spanish colonies in the Americas. One such individual was Jaume Sabates (1795-1870), a Catalan merchant who settled in Havana, Cuba, in the early 19th century and established a successful trading company.
Another notable figure was Pau Sabates (1858-1932), a Catalan writer and journalist who contributed to the development of Catalan literature and the promotion of the Catalan language and culture during the Renaixença period.
In the 20th century, the name gained international recognition through the work of Josep Sabates (1888-1966), a Catalan businessman and philanthropist who founded the renowned footwear company Camper. His innovative designs and commitment to sustainability and ethical production practices have left a lasting impact on the shoe industry.
While the Sabates surname is most prevalent in Catalonia and other parts of Spain, it has also spread to other regions and countries due to migration patterns, with pockets of Sabates families found in various parts of Europe, the Americas, and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sabates
Among Census respondents with the surname Sabates, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 81.6%. The next largest groups are White (17.9%) and Two or More Races (0.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Sabates bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Sabates surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino81.6% · 146
- White17.9% · 32
- Two or more races0.6% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sabates
Sabates appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#103,655
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 173
+44 bearers (+34.1%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Up 19,659 places
2020
#106,101
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 179
+6 bearers (+3.5%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Down 2,446 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #123,314 | 129 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #103,655 | 173 | 0.06 | +44 bearers (+34.1%) | Up 19,659 places |
| 2020 | #106,101 | 179 | 0.06 | +6 bearers (+3.5%) | Down 2,446 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Sabates surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #103,655 | #106,101 | -2.4% |
| Count | 173 | 179 | 3.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.06 | -0.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sabates bearers went from 173 to 179 (+3.5% change). The surname moved down 2,446 positions in the national ranking, going from #103,655 to #106,101.
FAQ
Sabates surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sabates?
Name Census estimates that about 205 living Americans carry the surname Sabates. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,671,972 residents.
How common is Sabates?
Sabates ranks #106,101 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 179 people with the surname Sabates. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (205), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.06 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.06 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Sabates.
Has Sabates become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sabates went from 173 recorded bearers to 179. That is an increase of 6 (+3.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #103,655 to #106,101.
What does the Census say about the background of Sabates?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sabates, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 81.6%. The next largest groups are White (17.9%) and Two or More Races (0.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Sabates in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.6% (146 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sabates appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (81.6%), White (17.9%), Two or More Races (0.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Sabates (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Sabates mean?
A surname derived from the Catalan word "sabata" meaning shoe, likely originally referring to a shoemaker. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Sabates (0.06 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Sabates?
Find out how many people have the surname Sabates on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.