UK surname
A German surname derived from the Middle German word "kater" meaning a male cat.
In the 1881 census there were 34 people recorded with the Kater surname, ranking it #28,837 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 23, ranked #36,457, down from #28,837 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Drymen, Govan Combination and Bonhill. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kater is 153 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 32.4%.
1881 census count
34
Ranked #28,837
Modern count
23
2016, ranked #36,457
Peak year
1861
153 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Kater surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Kater surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 | historical | 53 | #23,739 |
| 1861 | historical | 153 | #15,032 |
| 1881 | historical | 34 | #28,837 |
| 1891 | historical | 108 | #22,828 |
| 1901 | historical | 48 | #28,808 |
| 1911 | historical | 20 | #31,288 |
| 1997 | modern | 23 | #35,484 |
| 1998 | modern | 24 | #35,488 |
| 1999 | modern | 25 | #35,413 |
| 2000 | modern | 26 | #35,295 |
| 2001 | modern | 25 | #35,248 |
| 2002 | modern | 28 | #35,139 |
| 2003 | modern | 21 | #35,825 |
| 2004 | modern | 22 | #35,878 |
| 2005 | modern | 25 | #35,752 |
| 2006 | modern | 28 | #35,665 |
| 2007 | modern | 31 | #35,592 |
| 2008 | modern | 30 | #35,736 |
| 2009 | modern | 31 | #35,794 |
| 2010 | modern | 29 | #36,024 |
| 2011 | modern | 29 | #36,004 |
| 2012 | modern | 29 | #35,991 |
| 2013 | modern | 27 | #36,150 |
| 2014 | modern | 26 | #36,244 |
| 2015 | modern | 25 | #36,297 |
| 2016 | modern | 23 | #36,457 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Drymen, Govan Combination, Bonhill, Manchester and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Drymen | Stirling |
| 2 | Govan Combination | Lanark |
| 3 | Bonhill | Dunbarton |
| 4 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 5 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Kater surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kater, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.
These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.
The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.
UK neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Kater surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Kater household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Kater is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kater is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Kater, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Kater originated in Germany, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the German word "Kater," which means "tomcat" or "male cat." The name likely initially referred to someone who had a physical resemblance to a cat or perhaps a cat-like personality trait.
One of the earliest documented examples of the name can be found in the parish records of Schleswig-Holstein, a region in northern Germany, from the mid-1500s. The name was also present in various other German regions during this time period, with slight variations in spelling, such as Kather and Katter.
In the 17th century, the name appeared in several historical records, including the court records of the city of Nuremberg, where a certain Hans Kater was mentioned in 1612. Another notable individual was Johann Kater, a merchant from Hamburg, who was born in 1645 and documented in the city's trade records.
As Germans began to emigrate to other parts of Europe and the Americas in the 18th and 19th centuries, the surname Kater spread to various countries. In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the name was in Pennsylvania, where a Johann Kater settled in the early 1700s.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname Kater. One such person was Captain Henry Kater, a British army officer and mathematician born in 1777, who made significant contributions to the field of geodesy and the development of the Kater pendulum, an instrument used to measure the force of gravity.
Another prominent individual was the German philosopher and writer Wilhelm Kater, born in 1838, who was known for his works on aesthetics and the philosophy of art. In the field of science, we find Wilhelm Kater, a German chemist born in 1876, who made significant contributions to the study of organic compounds and their applications in the dye industry.
Moving into the 20th century, there was Hans Kater, a German political activist born in 1919, who was involved in the resistance against the Nazi regime during World War II. In the world of sports, we find Gudrun Kater, a German gymnast born in 1940, who won multiple medals in international competitions, including the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kater surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Dunbartonshire leads with 13 Katers recorded in 1881 and an index of 145.90x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Dunbartonshire | 13 | 145.90x |
| Lanarkshire | 8 | 7.46x |
| Durham | 3 | 3.04x |
| Fife | 2 | 10.19x |
| Renfrewshire | 2 | 7.78x |
| Lancashire | 1 | 0.25x |
| Middlesex | 1 | 0.30x |
| Staffordshire | 1 | 0.89x |
| Suffolk | 1 | 2.48x |
| Warwickshire | 1 | 1.20x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 0.30x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 8 Katers recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.17x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Govan | 8 | 30.17x |
| Row | 7 | 608.70x |
| Bonhill | 6 | 419.58x |
| Middlestone | 3 | 1500.00x |
| Dysart | 2 | 151.52x |
| East Greenock | 2 | 82.30x |
| Aston | 1 | 4.34x |
| Eskdaleside | 1 | 625.00x |
| Radcliffe | 1 | 52.63x |
| St Luke London | 1 | 18.80x |
| Walsham Le Willows | 1 | 769.23x |
| Wednesbury | 1 | 35.71x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Kater surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Kater surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| John | 1 |
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Kater households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Assistant School Mistress | 1 |
| Charwoman | 1 |
| Coal Miner | 1 |
| Domestic Servant | 1 |
| House Maid Domestic | 1 |
| Scholar | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 34 people were recorded with the Kater surname. That placed it at #28,837 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 23 in 2016. That gives Kater a modern rank of #36,457.
A German surname derived from the Middle German word "kater" meaning a male cat.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Kater bearers relative to the surrounding population.
The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.