Skates last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Skates

An occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of skates.

Skates, 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 Skates surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Skates in America

Skates is the 26910th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Skates surname appeared 902 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 Skates.

We can also compare 2010 data for Skates 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.

20102000Change (%)
Rank2691027258-1.28%
Count9028347.83%
Proportion per 100k0.310.310.00%

The history of the last name Skates

The surname Skates has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "sceadu," meaning shade or shadow, and may have been an occupational name for someone who worked in a shaded area or lived near a shady grove.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Skates can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Scades" in Wiltshire. This entry suggests that the name was already in use by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as "Skaytes," "Skeytes," and "Skayts," reflecting the diverse dialects and regional variations in pronunciation at the time. Some of these early spellings may have also been influenced by the Old Norse word "skeið," which meant a flat-bottomed boat or sledge.

By the 14th century, the name had evolved closer to its modern spelling, with records showing individuals named "Skates" residing in various parts of England, including Suffolk, Norfolk, and Yorkshire. One notable individual from this period was John Skates, a landowner in Lincolnshire who was mentioned in court rolls from the 1370s.

In the 16th century, the Skates family appeared to have established themselves in the county of Hertfordshire. William Skates, born around 1520, was a prominent figure in the community and served as a churchwarden in the town of Watford.

During the 17th century, the Skates name spread further across England, with individuals bearing the surname found in counties such as Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Kent. One notable figure from this period was Robert Skates (1616-1681), a successful merchant and landowner in the city of Bristol.

As the centuries progressed, the Skates surname continued to be carried by individuals from various walks of life, including farmers, tradesmen, and professionals. Some notable bearers of the name include Sir John Skates (1770-1838), a British naval officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars, and William Skates (1841-1915), a renowned horticulturist and nurseryman from Worcestershire.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Skates

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

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 Skates was:

Race/EthnicityPercentageTotal Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only72.62%655
Non-Hispanic Black Only20.07%181
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only0.00%0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native0.67%6
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races3.44%31
Hispanic Origin3.22%29

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 Skates has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

20102000Change (%)
White72.62%73.86%-1.69%
Black20.07%19.30%3.91%
Asian and Pacific Islander0.00%(S)%(S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.67%(S)%(S)%
Two or More Races3.44%2.40%35.62%
Hispanic3.22%3.00%7.07%

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.

Search
Search
Background shape