Explore the Family Name Goates

The meaning of Goates

English: variant of Goate with plural or post-medieval excrescent -s, from Middle English gote, occasionally got(te) ‘watercourse, channel, stream’ (Old English gota), a topographic name denoting someone who lived by a watercourse, or a habitational name from a place so named, such as East Goit (East Yorkshire), Goat Farm in Ringmer (Sussex), or Goat Farm in Streat (Sussex). This element is widely found in minor placenames in northern England, where it survives as dialect gote, goit. Alternatively, Goate may derive from Middle English got(e) ‘goat’ (Old English gāt), either as an occupational name for someone who looked after goats, or as a nickname for someone who resembled a goat in some way; the animal was associated with lascivious behaviour.

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

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

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Goates has seen a slight decrease between 2000 and 2010. The ranking of the name dropped from 35,860 in 2000 to 39,164 in 2010, indicating a decline of approximately 9.21%. The total count of individuals with this surname also decreased by about 5.07%, going from 592 in 2000 to 562 in 2010. Additionally, the proportion of the population with this surname per 100,000 people declined by 13.64% during this period.

20002010Change
Rank#35,860#39,164-9.21%
Count592562-5.07%
Proportion per 100k0.220.19-13.64%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Goates

Regarding the ethnic identity associated with the surname Goates, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that there were no significant changes between 2000 and 2010. The majority of individuals with this surname identified as White, with percentages of 94.76% and 94.48% for 2000 and 2010 respectively, showing a minor decrease of 0.30%. Ethnicities such as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native remained at 0.00% for both years. However, there was an increase in individuals who identified their ethnicity as Hispanic, rising from 1.69% in 2000 to 2.85% in 2010, representing a 68.64% increase. The percentage of those identifying with two or more races saw a decrease of 19.09%, from 2.20% in 2000 to 1.78% in 2010.

20002010Change
White94.76%94.48%-0.3%
Hispanic1.69%2.85%68.64%
Two or More Races2.2%1.78%-19.09%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
Black0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%