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

Plazas, 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 Plazas surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Plazas in America

Plazas is the 90113th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Plazas surname appeared 205 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 Plazas.

We can also compare 2010 data for Plazas 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 Plazas

The surname PLAZAS is of Spanish origin, originating from the region of Castile in central Spain. It is derived from the Spanish word "plaza," which means "town square" or "public square." The name likely emerged during the Middle Ages when many surnames were formed from occupations, locations, or distinguishing physical features.

The earliest known record of the PLAZAS surname dates back to the 13th century in the town of Burgos, Castile. It is believed that the name was initially given to individuals who lived near or worked in the town square, which was a central gathering place for commerce, social activities, and civic events.

In the 15th century, during the Spanish Reconquista, the PLAZAS name appeared in various historical documents, such as land grants and military records. One notable figure from this period was Juan de Plazas, a soldier who fought alongside King Ferdinand II of Aragon during the conquest of Granada in 1492.

As Spain expanded its empire in the Americas during the 16th and 17th centuries, many individuals with the PLAZAS surname participated in the exploration and colonization of the New World. One prominent figure was Diego de Plazas, a conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés in the conquest of Mexico in the early 16th century.

In the 18th century, the PLAZAS name was associated with the Spanish nobility. María Antonia de Plazas y Mendoza, born in 1730, was a noblewoman and philanthropist known for her charitable works in Madrid.

During the 19th century, the PLAZAS surname gained literary recognition with the works of José María de Plazas, a Spanish poet and author born in 1810. His collections of poetry and essays were widely acclaimed during his lifetime.

Another notable figure with the PLAZAS surname was Arturo Plazas Vega, a Colombian politician and diplomat born in 1875. He served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Colombia in the early 20th century and played a significant role in resolving territorial disputes with neighboring countries.

Throughout history, the PLAZAS surname has been present in various parts of the Spanish-speaking world, including Latin America, where it has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Plazas

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

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

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

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