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

Plasencia, 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 Plasencia surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Plasencia in America

Plasencia is the 9058th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Plasencia surname appeared 3,608 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Plasencia.

We can also compare 2010 data for Plasencia 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 Plasencia

The surname Plasencia is of Spanish origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period in the regions of Extremadura and Castile. It is a toponymic surname, derived from the city of Plasencia, which lies in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura. The city's name is believed to have been derived from the Latin word "placentia," meaning "pleasing" or "pleasant," reflecting the area's natural beauty.

Plasencia was mentioned in the Codex Calixtinus, a 12th-century manuscript containing accounts of pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela. This early record suggests the surname's presence in the region during that time. The name also appeared in the Libro de la Montería, a 14th-century manuscript documenting hunting expeditions of King Alfonso XI of Castile.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Plasencia can be traced back to the 13th century. Rodrigo Plasencia, born in 1245, was a prominent scholar and theologian from Plasencia who taught at the University of Paris. Another notable figure was Álvaro de Plasencia, a 15th-century Spanish explorer and conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expedition to Mexico.

In the 16th century, the surname gained prominence with figures like Antonio de Plasencia, a renowned architect who contributed to the construction of the Alcázar of Toledo, and Juan de Plasencia, a Catholic priest and missionary who played a significant role in the evangelization of the Philippines.

Moving into the 17th century, Gaspar de Plasencia y Zúñiga was a Spanish military officer and diplomat who served as the governor of the Duchy of Milan from 1668 to 1677. In the 18th century, José de Plasencia was a notable Spanish painter known for his religious and historical works.

Throughout history, the surname Plasencia has been associated with various notable individuals, reflecting the rich heritage and cultural influence of this Spanish lineage across multiple fields, including academia, exploration, architecture, religion, and the arts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Plasencia

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

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

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

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