Find out how popular the last name Pla is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Pla.

Pla, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Pla surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pla in America

Pla is the 26143rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pla surname appeared 936 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Pla.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pla to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Pla

The surname Pla has its origins in the Catalan region of Spain, and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Latin word "plana," meaning "plain" or "flat land," suggesting that the earliest bearers of this name may have lived in or near areas with flat terrain.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Pla can be found in the "Llibre del Repartiment" (Book of Distribution), a historical document that detailed the distribution of lands and properties in Valencia after the Christian conquest in 1238. This document mentions several individuals with the surname Pla, indicating their presence in the region at that time.

In the 14th century, a notable figure named Ramon Pla (c. 1335 - c. 1397) was a Catalan philosopher and theologian who wrote extensively on Aristotelian philosophy and Christian theology. His works, such as "De Prima Causa" and "De Ente," were influential in the intellectual circles of his time.

The surname Pla also appears in historical records from the 15th century, such as the "Llibre de les Franqueses" (Book of Freedoms), which documented the privileges and rights granted to the citizens of Barcelona. One prominent individual mentioned in this document is Jaume Pla (c. 1420 - c. 1485), a prominent merchant and member of the Barcelona city council.

In the 16th century, the surname Pla can be found in the records of the Spanish Inquisition, where several individuals with this name were mentioned, including Bartomeu Pla (c. 1520 - c. 1590), who was accused of heresy but later acquitted.

Another notable figure bearing the surname Pla was Joan Pla (c. 1670 - c. 1745), a Catalan sculptor and architect who contributed to the design and construction of several churches and buildings in Barcelona during the Baroque period.

As the surname Pla spread throughout Spain and other parts of the world, it has been associated with various place names and localities, such as Pla de Cabra, Pla de l'Estany, and Pla de Santa Maria, among others. These place names often reflect the flat or plain landscapes in which they are situated, further reinforcing the connection between the surname and its geographical origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pla

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Pla.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Pla was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Pla has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Pla was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Pla, please contact us.

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