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

Treat, 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 Treat surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Treat in America

Treat is the 7021st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Treat surname appeared 4,765 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Treat.

We can also compare 2010 data for Treat 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 Treat

The surname Treat originated in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "tretier," meaning "to treat" or "to negotiate." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals who worked as negotiators, diplomats, or merchants.

The name Treat is thought to have first emerged in the counties of Essex and Suffolk in the east of England. Early records show variations in spelling, such as Trete, Treet, and Trett. These variations were common in the Middle Ages, as standardized spelling was not yet established.

One of the earliest known references to the name Treat can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were a record of land holdings and taxes in England. The entry mentions a "John le Trete" residing in Essex.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various legal documents, such as the Court Rolls of Essex from 1341, which listed a "William Trete." This suggests that the Treat family had established itself as a prominent local name by this time.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Treat surname gained wider recognition across England. One notable figure was Robert Treat (1622-1710), a colonial leader in New England who served as the governor of Connecticut from 1683 to 1698.

Another significant individual bearing the Treat surname was Samuel Treat (1648-1717), a physician and early colonial settler in New Jersey. He was one of the founders of Newark, New Jersey, and played a crucial role in the establishment of the town.

In the 18th century, John Treat (1718-1778) was a distinguished Revolutionary War soldier who fought alongside General George Washington. He achieved the rank of Colonel and participated in several major battles against the British forces.

The name Treat also has ties to several place names in England, such as Treat's Green in Essex and Treat's Meadow in Suffolk. These place names likely derived from the Treat family's historical presence and landholdings in those areas.

One notable literary figure with the surname Treat was Robert Nozick (1938-2002), an American philosopher best known for his influential work "Anarchy, State, and Utopia." Although not directly related to the English Treat family, his surname reflects the enduring presence of the name in various cultural spheres.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Treat

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

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

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

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