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

Plain, 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 Plain surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Plain in America

Plain is the 22246th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Plain surname appeared 1,159 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 Plain.

We can also compare 2010 data for Plain 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 Plain

The surname PLAIN is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "plaen," meaning "level ground" or "open field." It is believed to have originated as a locational surname, referring to someone who lived on or near a flat, open area of land.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname PLAIN can be traced back to the late 12th century in various regions of England, such as Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. The name was sometimes spelled differently, including variants like Playne, Playn, and Plane.

One of the earliest known bearers of the PLAIN surname was Robert de Playn, who is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1195. Another early record is that of William de la Playne, who is listed in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1272.

The PLAIN surname was also associated with certain place names in England, such as Plain in Middlesex and Playne in Dorset. These place names likely influenced the development of the surname and its variations.

In the 14th century, the surname PLAIN appeared in several historical records, including the Pipe Rolls of Sussex in 1332, where a John atte Playne is mentioned. The "atte" prefix signified "at the," further emphasizing the locational origin of the name.

Notable individuals with the PLAIN surname throughout history include:

1. Robert Plain (c. 1510 - 1580), an English Protestant reformer and clergyman during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

2. William Plain (c. 1590 - 1637), an English composer and organist during the Baroque period.

3. Jossias Plain (1628 - 1687), a Dutch painter known for his still lifes and genre scenes.

4. Esther Plain (1789 - 1861), an American educator and pioneer in the field of teaching the deaf.

5. Sir Patrick Plain (1853 - 1924), a British colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Queensland, Australia, from 1914 to 1920.

While the PLAIN surname may have originated as a locational name, over time, it has become widespread and can be found in various parts of the English-speaking world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Plain

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

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

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

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