Explore the Family Name Mates
The meaning of Mates
1. Romanian (Mateş): from a derivative of the personal name Matei ‘Matthew’. 2. Croatian (mainly Mateš) and Hungarian: from a derivative of the personal name Mate (Hungarian Máté). 3. Czech and Slovak: derivative of Czech and Slovak equivalents of the Latin personal name Matthaeus or Matthias (see Matthew). 4. Catalan: from the plural of mata ‘scrub’ (see Mata). 5. English: variant of Mate, with post-medieval excrescent -s. Compare Matts. 6. Americanized form of Greek Matis. 7. Jewish (Ashkenazic): from a personal name equivalent to Matthew.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Mates in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Mates has seen a decrease in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Mates was ranked 31,426th, but by 2010, it had dropped to 39,419th, a decrease of 25.43%. The count of individuals with the surname also showed a decline during this period, dropping from 697 in 2000 to 558 in 2010, representing a drop of 19.94%. The proportion of the surname in the population per 100,000 people decreased by 26.92%, from 0.26 in 2000 to 0.19 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #31,426 | #39,419 | -25.43% |
| Count | 697 | 558 | -19.94% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.26 | 0.19 | -26.92% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Mates
When looking at the ethnicity associated with the surname Mates, the Decennial U.S. Census reveals some shifts between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of Mates identifying as White dropped from 88.09% to 82.26%, a decrease of 6.62%. However, there were notable increases among those identifying as Hispanic and Black. The Hispanic group went from making up 4.30% of the Mates surname in 2000 to 7.35% in 2010, an impressive increase of 70.93%. Similarly, those identifying as Black increased from 3.30% to 4.66%, a rise of 41.21%. The proportion of the Mates surname identifying as two or more races also saw a growth of 32.38%, from 2.44% in 2000 to 3.23% in 2010. No data was reported for Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native ethnicities in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 88.09% | 82.26% | -6.62% |
| Hispanic | 4.3% | 7.35% | 70.93% |
| Black | 3.3% | 4.66% | 41.21% |
| Two or More Races | 2.44% | 3.23% | 32.38% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |