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I couln't find this surname in the dictionary of English surnames that I have, probably this surname is rather local in Britain.
However there are quite a few Cates in USA: Cates ranks 1439 (1990)
among the american surnames.
In Ellis Island site the Cates are coming generally from England.
Perhaps surnames Cates could be an americanization of european like:
CATE or CATTE that are italian surnames derived from the feminin first name Caterina (Catherine).
KATS: a surname from Holland, Russia and Germany. In german
Katz means "cat".
Cates exists or existed as a surname in the Netherlands and Northern Spain, in Catalunya.
So this surname is not so easy to explain.
However there are quite a few Cates in USA: Cates ranks 1439 (1990)
among the american surnames.
In Ellis Island site the Cates are coming generally from England.
Perhaps surnames Cates could be an americanization of european like:
CATE or CATTE that are italian surnames derived from the feminin first name Caterina (Catherine).
KATS: a surname from Holland, Russia and Germany. In german
Katz means "cat".
Cates exists or existed as a surname in the Netherlands and Northern Spain, in Catalunya.
So this surname is not so easy to explain.
1
It may be derived from Latin "Cato" meaning "all knowing" or possibly from a form of Catherine ...Greek for "pure" ...just guessing ...
1