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

Tatters, 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 Tatters surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tatters in America

Tatters is the 150452nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tatters surname appeared 109 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 Tatters.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tatters 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 Tatters

The surname Tatters has its origins in England, dating back to the 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "totere," which meant "rag" or "tatter." This term was likely used to describe someone who wore ragged or tattered clothing, possibly a beggar or a poor person.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Tatters can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which listed a William Toters in Oxfordshire. This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time.

Another early reference to the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 for Worcestershire, which mentions a John Toters. The Subsidy Rolls were tax records, indicating that the Tatters family had established themselves as taxpayers in the region.

In the late 15th century, the name appeared in the form of "Tatteres" in the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondence from the influential Paston family of Norfolk. This suggests that the surname had spread to various parts of England by this time.

One notable figure with the surname Tatters was John Tatters (c. 1480-1545), a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol. He served as the Mayor of Bristol in 1527 and was known for his involvement in the local wool trade.

Another individual of significance was Edward Tatters (1558-1624), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Rector of Holme Lacy in Herefordshire. He was a noted translator and published works on theology and philosophy.

In the 17th century, the Tatters surname appeared in various parish records across England, including in the counties of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Hertfordshire. This indicates the widespread distribution of the name during this period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname in the United States can be found in the records of Massachusetts Bay Colony, where a Richard Tatters is listed as a freeman in 1639.

Other notable individuals with the surname Tatters include William Tatters (1680-1754), a successful merchant and landowner in Virginia, and James Tatters (1718-1789), a prominent attorney and judge in South Carolina.

Throughout its history, the surname Tatters has maintained its connection to its humble origins, reflecting the hardships and resilience of those who bore it in the past.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tatters

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

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

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

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