2000
#137,816
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Plettner
A surname originating from a German habitational name for someone from Plettenberg.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 116 Americans carry the last name Plettner. That puts it at #155,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,954,779 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Plettner surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
116
1 in 2,954,779
Census rank
#155,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
101
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 101 bearers of the surname Plettner in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Plettner, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.9%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Plettner
The surname Plettner is of German origin and can be traced back to the Middle Ages in the region of present-day Germany. It is believed to have derived from an Old German word "pletten" or "pletten," which means "to strike" or "to beat." This suggests that the name may have originated from an occupation or trade involving metalworking or blacksmithing.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Plettner can be found in the Liber Benefactorum, a medieval manuscript dating back to the 13th century, which mentions a person named "Heinricus Plettener." This record indicates that the name was already present in Germany during that time period.
In the 14th century, the name Plettner appeared in various documents and records across different regions of Germany, such as the Duchy of Bavaria and the Electorate of Saxony. This widespread occurrence suggests that the name had already gained recognition and was associated with different families or individuals.
During the Renaissance period, a notable figure bearing the surname Plettner was Andreas Plettner, a German painter and printmaker who lived from around 1480 to 1540. His works, which included religious paintings and engravings, can be found in various museums and collections across Europe.
Another historically significant individual with the surname Plettner was Johann Plettner, a German mathematician and astronomer born in 1486. He made contributions to the field of astronomy and was known for his work on astronomical instruments, such as the Plettner quadrant, which was used for celestial observation.
In the 17th century, a prominent figure named Wilhelm Plettner lived in the city of Nuremberg, Germany. He was a renowned goldsmith and jeweler, and his intricate works were highly sought after by nobility and wealthy patrons of the time.
During the 18th century, a family with the surname Plettner resided in the region of Saxony, where they owned and operated a successful metalworking business. This further reinforces the connection between the name and the metalworking trade.
As the name Plettner spread across different regions of Germany, variations in spelling emerged, such as Plettener, Plettner, and Pletner. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and regional preferences in spelling and pronunciation.
Throughout its history, the surname Plettner has been associated with various occupations, particularly those related to metalworking, blacksmithing, and craftsmanship. While the name may have evolved over time, its roots can be traced back to the Middle Ages and the German-speaking regions of Europe.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Plettner
Among Census respondents with the surname Plettner, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.9%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Plettner bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Plettner surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.1% · 87
- Hispanic or Latino8.9% · 9
- Two or more races5.0% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Plettner
Plettner appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
-10 bearers (-8.9%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 20,616 places
2020
#155,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-1 bearers (-1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 3,162 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #137,816 | 112 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | -10 bearers (-8.9%) | Down 20,616 places |
| 2020 | #155,270 | 101 | 0.03 | -1 bearers (-1.0%) | Up 3,162 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Plettner surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #158,432 | #155,270 | 2.0% |
| Count | 102 | 101 | -1.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 12.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Plettner bearers went from 102 to 101 (-1.0% change). The surname moved up 3,162 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #155,270.
FAQ
Plettner surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Plettner?
Name Census estimates that about 116 living Americans carry the surname Plettner. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,954,779 residents.
How common is Plettner?
Plettner ranks #155,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 101 people with the surname Plettner. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (116), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Plettner.
Has Plettner become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Plettner went from 102 recorded bearers to 101. That is a decrease of 1 (-1.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #155,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Plettner?
Among Census respondents with the surname Plettner, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.9%) and Two or More Races (5.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Plettner in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.1% (87 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Plettner appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.1%), Hispanic (8.9%), Two or More Races (5.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Plettner (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Plettner mean?
A surname originating from a German habitational name for someone from Plettenberg. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Plettner (0.03 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Plettner?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.