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Kate Family History

Kate Name Meaning

English (Middlesex and Hereforshire): probably from a pet form of the female personal name Catherine Catelin or perhaps from a Middle English reflex of the Old Norse male personal name Káti Kati Kate (from kátr ‘merry’). Possibly an Americanized form of German Köth see Koeth . Dutch (Ten Kate): topographic name from Middle Dutch cate cote ‘cottage hovel small farm’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Pate, Kage, Kase, Kale, Kato, Kane, Mate, Kade, Date, Kaste

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Kate family from?

You can see how Kate families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kate family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kate families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there were 5 Kate families living in Tennessee. This was about 42% of all the recorded Kate's in USA. Tennessee had the highest population of Kate families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kate surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Kate ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Cook were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Kate. 23% of Kate men worked as a Laborer and 12% of Kate women worked as a Cook. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kate were Clerk and Operator. .

View Census Data for Kate | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    23%
  • Farmer
    17%
  • Salesman
    13%
  • Clerk
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Cook
    12%
  • Maid
    10%
  • Housewife
    7%
  • Operator
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Kate family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 21,000 census records available for the last name Kate. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kate census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

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Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Kate. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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Draft Cards

There are 713 military records available for the last name Kate. For the veterans among your Kate ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Kate lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2003, in the United States, Kate life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1975, and highest in 1978. The average life expectancy for Kate in 1945 was 42, and 87 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kate

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