2000
#53,659
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 361
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.13
Very Rare Last name
Tatis
A Spanish surname derived from the Latin word "tatius" meaning "silent, quiet."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 695 Americans carry the last name Tatis. That puts it at #39,225 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.20 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 493,172 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Tatis 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
695
1 in 493,172
Census rank
#39,225
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
606
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 606 bearers of the surname Tatis in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.20 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 39225th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Tatis, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 91.7%. The next largest groups are White (5.0%) and Black (1.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Tatis
The surname "TATIS" is believed to have originated in Spain, specifically in the region of Catalonia, during the 16th century. It is derived from the Old Catalan word "tati," which means "older brother" or "uncle." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a nickname or a term of endearment before becoming a hereditary surname.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "TATIS" can be found in the municipal archives of Barcelona, where a document from 1587 mentions a certain Pere Tatis, a merchant and landowner. This indicates that the surname was already well-established in the area by the late 16th century.
In the 17th century, the name appears in various historical records from the Catalan region, often associated with prominent families and individuals. For instance, a Juan Tatis is mentioned in the annals of the city of Girona as a respected magistrate who served in the local administration during the 1640s.
As the centuries progressed, the surname "TATIS" spread beyond Catalonia and can be found in other parts of Spain, as well as in some regions of Latin America, particularly in countries with strong historical ties to Spain, such as Mexico and Argentina.
One notable figure bearing the surname "TATIS" was Fernando Tatis, a Spanish military officer who fought in the Napoleonic Wars. He was born in 1785 in Barcelona and served with distinction in several campaigns against the French forces, eventually earning the rank of Colonel.
Another notable individual was Margarita Tatis, a renowned poet and playwright from Seville, Spain, who lived in the late 18th century. Her works, which explored themes of love, nature, and societal issues, were widely acclaimed during her lifetime and helped establish her reputation as one of the leading literary figures of her era.
In the 20th century, the name "TATIS" gained international recognition through the achievements of Fernando Tatis Jr., a professional baseball player from the Dominican Republic. Born in 1979, he played for several Major League Baseball teams, including the St. Louis Cardinals and the New York Mets, and was known for his prodigious hitting power and athleticism on the field.
Overall, the surname "TATIS" has a rich history that can be traced back to its Catalan roots in the 16th century. It has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, military officers, artists, and professional athletes, reflecting the diverse experiences and contributions of those who have carried this name throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Tatis
Among Census respondents with the surname Tatis, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 91.7%. The next largest groups are White (5.0%) and Black (1.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Tatis 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 Tatis surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino91.7% · 556
- White5.0% · 30
- Black or African American1.5% · 9
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.5% · 9
- Two or more races0.3% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Tatis
Tatis 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
#43,651
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 494
+133 bearers (+36.8%)
Per 100,000 0.17
Rank movement Up 10,008 places
2020
#39,225
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 606
+112 bearers (+22.7%)
Per 100,000 0.20
Rank movement Up 4,426 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #53,659 | 361 | 0.13 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #43,651 | 494 | 0.17 | +133 bearers (+36.8%) | Up 10,008 places |
| 2020 | #39,225 | 606 | 0.20 | +112 bearers (+22.7%) | Up 4,426 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 Tatis 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 | #43,651 | #39,225 | 10.1% |
| Count | 494 | 606 | 22.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.17 | 0.20 | 19.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Tatis bearers went from 494 to 606 (+22.7% change). The surname moved up 4,426 positions in the national ranking, going from #43,651 to #39,225.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Tatis
FAQ
Tatis surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Tatis?
Name Census estimates that about 695 living Americans carry the surname Tatis. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 493,172 residents.
How common is Tatis?
Tatis ranks #39,225 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.20 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 606 people with the surname Tatis. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (695), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.2 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.20 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 Tatis.
Has Tatis become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Tatis went from 494 recorded bearers to 606. That is an increase of 112 (+22.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #43,651 to #39,225.
What does the Census say about the background of Tatis?
Among Census respondents with the surname Tatis, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 91.7%. The next largest groups are White (5.0%) and Black (1.5%). 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 Tatis in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.7% (556 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Tatis appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (91.7%), White (5.0%), Black (1.5%). 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 Tatis (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 Tatis mean?
A Spanish surname derived from the Latin word "tatius" meaning "silent, quiet." 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 Tatis (0.20 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 Tatis?
Find out how many Americans have the surname Tatis on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.