Database metadata and methods to adapt the same are disclosed. An example method includes determining, by executing a first instruction with a processor, a first database field pattern assigned to a field of a database, the first database field pattern assigned to the field via metadata for the database, determining, by executing a second instruction with the processor, an error rate of the data for the field with the first database field pattern, and in response to determining that the error rate meets a threshold: identifying, by executing a third instruction with the processor, a second database field pattern that matches the data; and modifying, by executing a fourth instruction with the processor, the metadata to assign the second database field pattern to the field.