1 definition by kittyglittr
Tate is the transferred use of an old Anglo-Scottish surname which originated from an Olde English nickname, Tāta. Etymological study suggests that Tāta was probably brought to England and Scotland by the Vikings and is derived from an Old Norse word “teitr" meaning ‘glad, cheerful’. In fact, Teitr is a name of a 9th or 10th century Icelandic settler whose name was recorded in the medieval Landnámabók (a book describing the Norse founding and settlement of Iceland). In Scotland and northern England, the surname Tate dates back to the 13th and 14th centuries. As a given masculine name, Tate is mainly used in the United States.
by kittyglittr June 23, 2016