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

Platas, 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 Platas surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Platas in America

Platas is the 34465th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Platas surname appeared 657 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 Platas.

We can also compare 2010 data for Platas 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 Platas

The surname Platas has its origins in Greece, dating back to the medieval period around the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Greek word "platis," which means "broad" or "wide," possibly referring to someone with a broad stature or a person who lived near a wide open space or plaza.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Platas can be found in the archives of the Byzantine Empire, where a merchant named Theodoros Platas is mentioned in a trade document from the city of Thessaloniki in 1187. This suggests that the name was already established and in use during that time.

The name Platas also appears in various historical records and manuscripts from different regions of Greece. For instance, a certain Georgios Platas is mentioned as a landowner in a land registry document from the island of Crete, dated 1311.

In the 15th century, a renowned scholar and philosopher named Ioannis Platas (1420-1498) gained recognition for his contributions to the study of ancient Greek literature and philosophy. He was a prominent figure during the Renaissance period and is believed to have had a significant influence on the intellectual circles of his time.

Another notable individual with the surname Platas was Konstantinos Platas (1768-1825), a Greek military officer and revolutionary leader who played a crucial role in the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire. He is celebrated as a hero for his bravery and leadership during the early stages of the Greek struggle for independence.

In the late 19th century, a Greek immigrant named Alexandros Platas (1845-1912) settled in the United States and established a successful business in the city of Boston, becoming one of the earliest known bearers of the Platas surname in America.

Over the centuries, variations of the name Platas have emerged, such as Platas, Plataris, and Platakis, reflecting regional and linguistic differences within Greece. Additionally, there are instances where the name is associated with certain place names, such as the village of Platanos on the island of Crete, suggesting a potential connection between the name and geographical locations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Platas

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

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

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

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