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

Plata, 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 Plata surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Plata in America

Plata is the 6290th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Plata surname appeared 5,432 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 Plata.

We can also compare 2010 data for Plata 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 Plata

The surname Plata originates from Spain and has its roots in the Latin word "plata", meaning silver. This connection to the precious metal suggests that the name may have been associated with those involved in the mining, trading, or working of silver in some capacity during medieval times.

The earliest known records of the Plata surname can be traced back to the region of Andalusia in southern Spain, particularly in the city of Seville, which was an important center for trade and commerce during the height of the Spanish Empire. The name is believed to have first appeared in written records in the late 13th century.

One of the earliest documented examples of the Plata name can be found in the "Libro de Repartimiento de Sevilla", a historical document that recorded the distribution of lands and properties in Seville after its reconquest by the Christian forces in 1248. The name Pedro de Plata is listed among the recipients of land grants in this document.

In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing the Plata surname was Juan de Plata, a Spanish navigator and explorer who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493. Juan de Plata is credited with being one of the first Europeans to set foot on the island of Puerto Rico.

Another prominent individual with the Plata surname was Gaspar de Plata y Castilleja (1525-1592), a Spanish nobleman and military commander who served under King Philip II of Spain. He played a crucial role in the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire in Peru and was appointed as the first Governor of Charcas, a region that now forms part of modern-day Bolivia.

In the realm of literature, one cannot overlook the contribution of Juan de Plata Maldonado (1570-1630), a Spanish poet and dramatist who was celebrated for his works in the Golden Age of Spanish literature. His poetry collection, "Poesías varias", published in 1624, received widespread acclaim.

The Plata surname has also been associated with several notable figures in the arts and sciences. One example is Joaquín Plata y Velasco (1788-1858), a Spanish painter and engraver who gained recognition for his religious paintings and portraits commissioned by the Spanish nobility.

While the surname Plata has its origins in Spain, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly to Latin American countries with strong Spanish colonial influences, such as Mexico, Argentina, and Peru. However, the historical records and notable figures mentioned above provide insights into the rich heritage and significance of this surname within the Spanish cultural and historical context.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Plata

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

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

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

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