CATES
Cates is a surname that originated in England and is primarily associated with the British Isles.
The name is patronymic, deriving from the medieval given name Cate, a diminutive form of Catherine. It was originally used to identify individuals as the descendants of a person bearing that name.
Another medieval source for the surname is the nickname Catt, which was applied to a gentle or kind individual, owing to the association with the domestic animal. The nickname could also indicate an occupational connection, referring to a person who owned or cared for cats. Over time, the nickname was adopted as a personal name and subsequently as a surname.
The surname may also have connections with the Old Norse name Káti; some records suggest that it was incorporated into English usage after the Norman Conquest in 1066 AD.
Occasionally, the name is linked to a topographic feature, derived from Old Norse gata and Old English geat meaning gate, giving rise to surnames such as Gate, Gait, and Gates.
There are numerous variants of Cates, including Cate, Kates, Catt, Catte, Catling, Caton, and spellings that reflect Americanisation such as Cait or Cait.
In the modern era the surname is common in English‑speaking countries. It is particularly prevalent in the United States, where it is found in high numbers in southeastern states such as Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina, but it remains fairly common in England and Canada as well.
A prominent bearer of the name is the American actress Phoebe Cates, whose career has brought additional visibility to the surname.
Genealogical records provided by family members indicate that the Cates surname can be traced in several branches that have lived in Missouri, Arkansas, and Georgia. Family members have included individuals named David Cates, Alan Michael Cates, and other relatives such as Walter Cates and Ronnie Eugene Cates.
Thus, the surname Cates reflects a rich linguistic and cultural heritage rooted in English, Norse, and occupational traditions, while continuing to be recognised across multiple continents today.
Typical given names associated with the Cates surname
Male
- Andrew
- Anthony
- Christopher
- David
- Jamie
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
- Stephen
- William
Female
- Amanda
- Angela
- Carolyn
- Cheryl
- Christine
- Claire
- Doreen
- Helen
- Jane
- Linda
- Margaret
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Cates in...
Braille
⠉⠁⠞⠑⠎
Morse
-.-..--....
Semaphore
There are approximately 631 people named Cates in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around ten in a million people in Britain are named Cates.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Cates
- Phoebe Cates - American film actress, model, and entrepreneur
- Kelly Cates - Scottish television presenter
- Georgina Cates - Actress
- Michael Cates - Physicist and Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge
- George Edward Cates - Recipient of the Victoria Cross (1892 to 1917)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.