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

Platten, 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 Platten surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Platten in America

Platten is the 47006th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Platten surname appeared 452 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 Platten.

We can also compare 2010 data for Platten 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 Platten

The surname Platten is believed to have originated in Germany, particularly in the regions of Bavaria and Franconia. It is thought to have derived from the German word 'Platte', which means a flat or level area, referring to someone who lived on a plain or plateau.

The earliest known recorded instances of the surname Platten can be traced back to the 13th century. One of the earliest documented individuals with this surname was Heinrich Platten, who was mentioned in the records of the town of Nürnberg in 1285.

In the Middle Ages, the name Platten appeared in various medieval manuscripts and records across German-speaking regions. For instance, it was found in the Liber Censuum, a medieval tax register from the city of Cologne, dating back to the 14th century.

The variant spelling 'Platen' was also common, particularly in northern Germany. One notable bearer of this spelling was the German poet and playwright August von Platen-Hallermünde (1796-1835), who was born in Ansbach, Bavaria.

Another prominent figure with the surname Platten was Johann Platten (1642-1699), a German composer and organist who served as the court Kapellmeister in Hesse-Darmstadt.

In the 16th century, the name Platten appeared in records from the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a well-preserved medieval town in Bavaria. One such entry mentions a Kunz Platten, who was a citizen of the town in 1582.

The surname Platten was also found in various regions of Switzerland, likely due to migration from German-speaking areas. One example is Hans Platten, a Swiss goldsmith and engraver who lived in the city of Zurich in the late 15th century.

Another notable figure was Johann Platten (1698-1772), a Swiss theologian and writer who served as a Protestant minister in the canton of Basel.

While the surname Platten is predominantly of German origin, it has also been found in other parts of Europe, likely due to migration and intermarriage. However, its roots can be traced back to the German regions of Bavaria and Franconia, where it first emerged as a toponymic surname referring to someone living on a flat or level area.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Platten

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

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

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

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