Its name derives from the Turkish word ata (Hungarian: atya, apa, English: father).

It lies on the southern side of Inner Somogy, 60 km south of Lake Balaton on the main road 68.

At that time the settlement was situated at the northern part of today's Nagyatád.

It was also mentioned in 1382 as Populi et cives in villa Athad and was part of Segesd County.

It got market town rights in 1475 from Matthias Corvinus and therefore it became an important commercial centre.

Thanks to its favorable location vivid trade flourished there until the Turkish occupation when it almost perished.

Several companies have production facilities in the town like the Italian-owned wood manufacturer Diófa,[2] the Hungarian Nagyatádi Konzervgyár (English: Tinfactory of Nagyatád, est.