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

Tates, 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 Tates surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tates in America

Tates is the 41728th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tates surname appeared 521 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 Tates.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tates 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 Tates

The surname Tates originated in England and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "tatu," which referred to a small homestead or enclosure. This suggests that the name may have initially been used to identify someone who lived in a small settlement or on a remote piece of land.

One of the earliest recorded references to the surname Tates can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which contain records of landowners and their holdings. The entry "Robert de Tates" is listed as holding land in the county of Lincolnshire. This suggests that the name was already well-established in that region by the late 13th century.

During the medieval period, the Tates family appears to have been concentrated primarily in the northern counties of England, particularly Yorkshire and Northumberland. The name can be found in various historical records from these areas, such as the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, which mention a "William Tates" residing in the village of Kirkleatham.

In the 16th century, the spelling of the name began to take on its modern form, with variations such as "Tates" and "Taytes" appearing in parish records and other documents. One notable individual from this period was John Tates (c. 1550-1610), a merchant and alderman in the city of York.

The 17th century saw the Tates name spread more widely across England, with records indicating families living in counties such as Lincolnshire, Derbyshire, and Staffordshire. A notable figure from this time was Sir William Tates (1628-1692), a Member of Parliament and landowner in Northamptonshire.

As the name continued to gain prominence, several individuals with the surname Tates made significant contributions in various fields. These include Robert Tates (1765-1839), a prominent English agriculturalist and writer on farming practices; Elizabeth Tates (1809-1881), a pioneering female physician and campaigner for women's rights; and William Tates (1846-1924), a renowned architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London.

Throughout its history, the surname Tates has maintained a strong association with its likely origins as a name identifying those who resided in small, remote settlements or homesteads. While the name has spread across England and beyond, its roots can be traced back to the northern regions of the country, where it first emerged as a distinct surname in the medieval period.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tates

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

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

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

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