2000
#141,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Plancich
A Croatian surname meaning "little mountaineer" or "person from the mountains".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Plancich. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Plancich surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Plancich in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Plancich, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.3%) and Two or More Races (7.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Plancich
The surname Plancich has its origins in the Balkan region, specifically in Croatia. It is believed to have emerged in the 15th or 16th century during the period of Ottoman rule in the Balkans. The name is derived from the Slavic word "planina," which means "mountain" or "highland."
Plancich was likely a descriptive surname given to individuals who lived in or near mountainous regions. It may have originated as a nickname or a way to distinguish families or individuals by their place of residence. The earliest records of the name can be found in historical documents and church registers from the Dalmatian region of Croatia, which is known for its rugged coastal mountains.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Plancich surname was in a manuscript from the town of Omiš in the 16th century. The document, which detailed land ownership records, mentioned a family with the surname Plancich living in the nearby village of Planići. This village name is itself derived from the same Slavic root, indicating the connection between the surname and the mountainous terrain.
In the 17th century, a prominent figure named Ivan Plancich was a respected merchant and landowner in the city of Dubrovnik, which was a major maritime trading hub at the time. He was born in 1623 and lived until 1698, leaving a significant impact on the local economy and community.
Another notable individual was Marko Plancich, a Croatian military officer who served in the Venetian army during the 18th century. He was born in 1712 in the town of Zadar and played a crucial role in defending the Dalmatian coast against Ottoman invaders. His bravery and leadership earned him recognition and honors from the Venetian authorities.
In the 19th century, a philosopher and writer named Ante Plancich gained recognition for his works on ethics and moral philosophy. Born in 1815 in the town of Split, he published several influential books and essays exploring the concepts of virtue, duty, and the human condition. His contributions to Croatian intellectual thought were widely acknowledged during his lifetime.
Throughout history, the Plancich surname has been associated with various professions and occupations, including farmers, craftsmen, merchants, and military personnel. While the name originated in Croatia, it has since spread to other parts of Europe and the world due to migration and diaspora communities.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Plancich
Among Census respondents with the surname Plancich, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.3%) and Two or More Races (7.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Plancich bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Plancich surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White77.6% · 83
- Hispanic or Latino10.3% · 11
- Two or more races7.5% · 8
- American Indian and Alaska Native3.7% · 4
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Plancich
Plancich appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-4 bearers (-3.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 14,256 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
+3 bearers (+2.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,405 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #141,788 | 108 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | -4 bearers (-3.7%) | Down 14,256 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.9%) | Up 4,405 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Plancich surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #156,044 | #151,639 | 2.8% |
| Count | 104 | 107 | 2.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Plancich bearers went from 104 to 107 (+2.9% change). The surname moved up 4,405 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #151,639.
FAQ
Plancich surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Plancich?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Plancich. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Plancich?
Plancich ranks #151,639 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 107 people with the surname Plancich. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Plancich.
Has Plancich become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Plancich went from 104 recorded bearers to 107. That is an increase of 3 (+2.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Plancich?
Among Census respondents with the surname Plancich, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.3%) and Two or More Races (7.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Plancich in the 2020 Census, accounting for 77.6% (83 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Plancich appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (77.6%), Hispanic (10.3%), Two or More Races (7.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Plancich (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Plancich mean?
A Croatian surname meaning "little mountaineer" or "person from the mountains". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Plancich (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Plancich?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.