Explore the Family Name Cato
The meaning of Cato
1. Scottish and English: variant of Catoe. 2. Swedish: perhaps a soldier’s name, bestowed with reference to Cato, the Roman statesman. 3. Bosniak, Serbian, and Croatian (Ćato, in Bosnia and Herzegovina also Čato): occupational name from Bosnian, Serbian, and Croatian ćato ‘scribe, clerk’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Cato in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname 'Cato' has witnessed slight fluctuations over the decade. In 2000, it held a rank of 4125 and by 2010, it slipped to 4285, marking a decrease in popularity by 3.88%. Despite this diminution in rank, the raw count of people with the surname saw a growth from 7940 in 2000 to 8298 in 2010, an increase of 4.51%. However, the proportion per 100,000 people dropped by 4.42%, from 2.94 in 2000 to 2.81 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,125 | #4,285 | -3.88% |
| Count | 7,940 | 8,298 | 4.51% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.94 | 2.81 | -4.42% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Cato
As for ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals shifting demographics among those with the 'Cato' surname between 2000 and 2010. The most significant surge was seen within the Asian/Pacific Islander group, which rose from 0.88% to 1.37%, marking a substantial 55.68% change. Those identifying with two or more ethnicities experienced a 20.50% increase, from 2.00% to 2.41%. While the percentage of White individuals decreased by 4.96%, dropping from 58.26% to 55.37%, the Hispanic community grew by 35.52%, from 2.59% to 3.51%. Black individuals experienced a marginal rise of 2.76% while the American Indian and Alaskan Native group observed a 14.08% enhancement in their representation.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 58.26% | 55.37% | -4.96% |
| Black | 35.55% | 36.53% | 2.76% |
| Hispanic | 2.59% | 3.51% | 35.52% |
| Two or More Races | 2% | 2.41% | 20.5% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.88% | 1.37% | 55.68% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.71% | 0.81% | 14.08% |
Cato 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 Cato is British & Irish, which comprises 56.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (17.8%) and Nigerian (5.2%). Additional ancestries include Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, Spanish & Portuguese, Scandinavian, Indigenous American, and Eastern European.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 56.9% |
| French & German | 17.8% |
| Nigerian | 5.2% |
| Other | 20.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Cato
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 Cato have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 79.20% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 79.20% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 79.20% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 78.60% |
| Lancashire, United Kingdom | 78.60% |
What Cato 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 Cato is I-CTS6433, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup I-CTS6433 is descended from haplogroup I-M170. Other common haplogroups include I-M223 and R-P311, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Lockett, Hurt, Boatman, Gulley, Robb, Barfield, Krieg, Furr, Rahn, Roop.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Cato surname are: H1, N, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins I-M170Your 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.
What do people with the surname Cato 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
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Cato" Surname 37.5%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Cato" Surname 32.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Cato" Surname 14.0%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Cato" Surname 19.9%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Cato?
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 Cato are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition