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

Place, 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 Place surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Place in America

Place is the 4862nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Place surname appeared 7,251 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Place.

We can also compare 2010 data for Place 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 Place

The surname Place originates from England and dates back to the late 11th century. It is a locational surname derived from the Old English word "plæce," meaning a small piece of ground or an open space. The name likely referred to someone who lived near an open area or a town square.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the famous Domesday Book, a record of landholdings compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The name is listed as "de Place" in this document, reflecting the French influence on English surnames during the Norman conquest.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as "atte Place," "del Place," and "de la Place," indicating the person's association with a particular place or location. These variations were common during that time when surnames were still evolving.

Notable individuals with the surname Place include Sir Christopher Place (1524-1597), an English merchant and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent figure was Thomas Place (1590-1675), an English barrister and judge who served as a Justice of the King's Bench.

In the literary world, Francis Place (1647-1728) was a renowned English dramatist and author, best known for his play "The Orphan" (1680). His contemporaries included the poet John Place (1654-1723), who was celebrated for his lyrical works.

Moving forward in history, George Place (1779-1854) was a British army officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became a notable explorer and surveyor in Australia.

Throughout the centuries, the surname Place has been associated with various regions and localities across England, reflecting its locational origins. While some variations in spelling occurred over time, the name has maintained its connection to the concept of a specific place or location.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Place

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

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 Place 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 Place 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 Place was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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