Explore the Family Name Tatar
The meaning of Tatar
Polish, Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic), and Turkish: Czech and Slovak (also Tatár); Hungarian (Tatár); Romanian (Tătar): ethnic name, nickname, or, as a Turkish name, ornamental name meaning ‘Tatar’. The Tatars are a Turkic-speaking peoples living mainly in Russia and also in some neighboring countries. In the past the name Tatar also denoted an Azerbaijani (see Tatarian). In some languages, e.g. Czech, the word tatar came to be used as a nickname for a wild or uncontrolled man, while in 18th-century Hungary it became a nickname for a godless person. In Turkish the word tatar also means ‘courier’. In some cases the name was given to people who had been captured by the Tatars. Some characteristic forenames: German Otto, Theodor, Wilhelm.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Tatar in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Tatar" slightly decreased in rank between 2000 and 2010, moving from 23,657 to 23,804. However, the actual count of individuals with this surname increased by 6.31% during the same period, growing from 999 to 1,062. This suggests that while the name became less popular in terms of overall ranking, more people identified with it over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #23,657 | #23,804 | -0.62% |
| Count | 999 | 1,062 | 6.31% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.37 | 0.36 | -2.7% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Tatar
The census also revealed shifts in the ethnic identity associated with the Tatar surname. The majority of people with this last name identified as White in both 2000 and 2010, with a slight increase from 94.89% to 95.95%. During the same decade, there was an increase in the percentage of people identifying as Hispanic, from 1.5% to 2.07%. Interestingly, for the first time in 2010, some individuals with the Tatar surname identified as Asian/Pacific Islander. Conversely, the proportion of people identifying with two or more races significantly decreased from 3% to 0.66%. No individuals with this surname identified as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either 2000 or 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.89% | 95.95% | 1.12% |
| Hispanic | 1.5% | 2.07% | 38% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 1.04% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 3% | 0.66% | -78% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |