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

Tat, 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 Tat surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tat in America

Tat is the 17639th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tat surname appeared 1,593 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Tat.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tat 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 Tat

The surname Tat has its origins in the northern regions of England, specifically in Northumberland and Yorkshire, during the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Middle English word "tate," which means "cheerful" or "lively." This name was likely given as a nickname to individuals with a cheerful or jovial disposition.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Tat can be found in the Court Rolls of Yorkshire from the late 13th century, where a certain Robert Tate is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use and had established itself in the region by that time.

In the 14th century, the surname Tat appears in various historical records, such as the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379, where a John Tate is listed as a resident of the village of Barnby. This provides evidence of the name's continued presence and spread across the region.

The surname Tat has also been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such individual was Sir Robert Tate (1516-1586), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Northumberland during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another prominent figure was Thomas Tate (1807-1888), a renowned English architect who was responsible for designing several iconic buildings in London, including the Royal Exchange and the City of London School.

In the literary world, Nahum Tate (1652-1715) was an English poet and playwright who served as the Poet Laureate of England from 1692 to 1715. He is best known for his adaptations of William Shakespeare's plays, including the controversial revision of King Lear.

The surname Tat has also been linked to various place names in England, such as Tatenhill in Staffordshire and Tatershall in Lincolnshire. These place names likely derived from the same root as the surname, further reinforcing its historical ties to the region.

Over the centuries, the surname Tat has undergone various spelling variations, including Tate, Tait, and Taitt, reflecting the regional dialects and preferences of different areas. However, the core meaning and origin of the name have remained consistent, reflecting the cheerful and lively nature associated with its bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tat

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

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

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

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