Explore the Family Name Cate

The meaning of Cate

Dutch: habitational name from any of several small farms in the East Netherlands known as Ten Cate, from katerstede ‘small cottage for a peasant or a laborer’.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Cate in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Cate has seen some shifts in popularity between the years 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the surname ranked 6463 in terms of popularity with a count of 4845 occurrences and a proportion of 1.8 per 100,000 people. However, by 2010, the rank had slightly decreased to 6763, a decline of 4.64%. The total count of individuals with the surname managed to increase by 2.93% to 4987, but the proportion per 100,000 people dropped by 6.11% to 1.69.

20002010Change
Rank#6,463#6,763-4.64%
Count4,8454,9872.93%
Proportion per 100k1.81.69-6.11%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Cate

When examining the ethnic identities associated with the surname Cate, notable changes were observed between 2000 and 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. The largest percentage of those with the surname identified as White, yet this group saw a slight decrease from 92.73% to 90.86%. Individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native both saw increases, rising from 2.15% to 2.31% and 1.67% to 1.76%, respectively. There was a notable increase in the Hispanic community, jumping from 1.47% to 2.61%, which represents a 77.55% change. Those identifying as Black or belonging to two or more races also increased, reaching proportions of 0.86% and 1.60% respectively.

20002010Change
White92.73%90.86%-2.02%
Hispanic1.47%2.61%77.55%
Asian/Pacific Islander2.15%2.31%7.44%
American Indian and Alaskan Native1.67%1.76%5.39%
Two or More Races1.32%1.6%21.21%
Black0.66%0.86%30.3%

Cate ancestry composition

23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Cate is British & Irish, which comprises 60.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (20.9%) and Italian (3.5%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, Filipino & Austronesian, and Indigenous American.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
British & Irish60.0%
French & German20.9%
Italian3.5%
Other15.6%
Cate

Possible origins of the surname Cate

Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.

Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Cate have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Greater London, United Kingdom89.80%
Glasgow City, United Kingdom89.80%
Merseyside, United Kingdom89.80%
West Midlands, United Kingdom89.80%
Greater Manchester, United Kingdom89.80%

What Cate haplogroups can tell you

Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.

The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Cate is R-Z8, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z8 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-M467 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Cates, Howland, Lovejoy, Wing, Taft, Sherwood, Lyman, Hagerman, Tuck, Mabry.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Cate surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

catePaternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343
Paternal Haplo Image

Your paternal lineage may be linked to King Louis XVI

The rule of France by men of the House of Bourbon began with King Henri IV in 1589 C.E. and continued until the beheading of his direct paternal descendant King Louis XVI in 1793. Several years ago, researchers analyzed a mummified head and a blood-soaked cloth that they believed might belong to the two kings, and concluded that the royal paternal line belonged to haplogroup G. In a more recent study, however, a different set of researchers tested three living men who are direct descendants of the Bourbon kings. Their efforts revealed that the male lineage of the House of Bourbon is actually a branch of haplogroup R-M405.

Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette

Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.

Maternal Haplo Image

What do people with the surname Cate have in common?

Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.

Preferences

Cate

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Cate" Surname 38.3%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Cate

Misophonia

When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.

"Cate" Surname 15.0%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Cate

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Cate" Surname 23.2%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Cate

Migraine

A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

"Cate" Surname 18.3%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Cate?

The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.

Disease variant frequency by ancestry

Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Cate are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Y402H variant

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults. The disease results in damage to the central part of the retina (the macula), impairing vision needed for reading, driving, or even recognizing faces. The 23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA test includes the two most common variants associated with an increased risk of developing the condition: the Y402H variant in the CFH gene and the A69S variant in the ARMS2 gene. Learn more about Age-Related Macular Degeneration

British & Irish 62.1%

23andMe Users 57.2%