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

Plate, 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 Plate surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Plate in America

Plate is the 20512th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Plate surname appeared 1,293 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 Plate.

We can also compare 2010 data for Plate 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 Plate

The surname PLATE originates from England and can be traced back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "platt", meaning a piece of level ground or a small meadow. The name was likely given to someone who lived near a flat area of land or worked on such terrain.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name PLATE can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1186, where a certain Richard Plat is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also reference a William le Plat residing in Oxfordshire.

During the medieval period, the PLATE surname was prevalent in various regions of England, including Yorkshire, Oxfordshire, and Norfolk. It is believed that the name may have originated from place names such as Platt in Lancashire or Platt in Kent.

In the 16th century, notable individuals bearing the PLATE surname included John Plate (1525-1592), an English Protestant clergyman and scholar who served as the Bishop of Oxford. Another figure was Richard Plate (1560-1635), a wealthy merchant and alderman from the city of Bristol.

The 17th century saw the rise of Sir Hugh Plate (1620-1683), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire. Another prominent individual was Thomas Plate (1650-1718), a respected architect and surveyor who worked on several churches and estates in the southern counties of England.

In the 18th century, one of the most renowned individuals with the PLATE surname was Benjamin Plate (1725-1801), a renowned artist and engraver whose works are held in collections across Europe. He was particularly known for his landscapes and architectural engravings.

During the 19th century, the PLATE surname continued to be prevalent in various parts of England, with individuals such as John Plate (1810-1876), a successful businessman and landowner in Yorkshire, and Emily Plate (1845-1919), an accomplished writer and poet from Hertfordshire.

The PLATE surname has a rich history and has been associated with various notable figures throughout the centuries. While the name originated from a simple description of someone's proximity to a flat area of land, it has become a part of the tapestry of English heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Plate

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

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

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

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