2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Plotnikov
A Russian surname derived from the word "plotnik" meaning carpenter or joiner.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 186 Americans carry the last name Plotnikov. That puts it at #114,613 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,842,765 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Plotnikov 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
186
1 in 1,842,765
Census rank
#114,613
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
162
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 162 bearers of the surname Plotnikov in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 114613th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Plotnikov, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.5%) and Hispanic (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Plotnikov
The surname Plotnikov is of Russian origin, with its earliest known roots dating back to the 14th century. It is a patronymic surname derived from the occupational word "plotnik," which means "carpenter" or "woodworker" in Russian. This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname were likely involved in carpentry or woodworking professions.
The name Plotnikov can be traced back to various regions of Russia, particularly in the central and northern parts of the country. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in a 15th-century census document from the city of Novgorod, where a certain Ivan Plotnikov was listed as a resident.
In the 16th century, the surname Plotnikov was found in several historical records, including court documents and parish registers from various Russian towns and villages. One notable example is the mention of a Fyodor Plotnikov, a master carpenter who was commissioned to construct a wooden church in the town of Suzdal in the late 1500s.
As the name spread throughout Russia, it took on various regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. For instance, in some areas, it was written as "Plotnikoff" or "Plotnikow," reflecting local dialects and linguistic influences.
Several individuals bearing the Plotnikov surname have made significant contributions throughout history. One of the earliest noteworthy figures was Grigory Plotnikov (1679-1754), a Russian architect and engineer who designed several notable buildings in St. Petersburg, including the Smolny Cathedral.
Another prominent Plotnikov was Vasily Plotnikov (1812-1892), a Russian painter and art educator who played a crucial role in the development of the realist movement in Russian art. His works are housed in various museums across Russia and abroad.
In the 20th century, Mikhail Plotnikov (1903-1994) was a renowned Soviet writer and journalist who documented the events of World War II and the Soviet era through his works. His memoir, "The War Years," is considered a valuable historical account of that period.
Yevgeny Plotnikov (1937-2018) was a prominent Russian actor and theatre director who performed in numerous stage productions and films throughout his career. He was awarded the prestigious title of People's Artist of the Russian Federation in 1992.
Additionally, Konstantin Plotnikov (born 1969) is a contemporary Russian businessman and philanthropist who has made significant contributions to various charitable organizations and educational initiatives in Russia.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Plotnikov
Among Census respondents with the surname Plotnikov, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.5%) and Hispanic (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Plotnikov 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 Plotnikov surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.7% · 155
- Two or more races2.5% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino1.2% · 2
- Black or African American0.6% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Plotnikov
Plotnikov 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
#116,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 150
+45 bearers (+42.9%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 28,707 places
2020
#114,613
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 162
+12 bearers (+8.0%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 1,588 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #144,908 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #116,201 | 150 | 0.05 | +45 bearers (+42.9%) | Up 28,707 places |
| 2020 | #114,613 | 162 | 0.05 | +12 bearers (+8.0%) | Up 1,588 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 Plotnikov 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 | #116,201 | #114,613 | 1.4% |
| Count | 150 | 162 | 8.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.05 | 8.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Plotnikov bearers went from 150 to 162 (+8.0% change). The surname moved up 1,588 positions in the national ranking, going from #116,201 to #114,613.
FAQ
Plotnikov surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Plotnikov?
Name Census estimates that about 186 living Americans carry the surname Plotnikov. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,842,765 residents.
How common is Plotnikov?
Plotnikov ranks #114,613 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 162 people with the surname Plotnikov. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (186), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Plotnikov.
Has Plotnikov become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Plotnikov went from 150 recorded bearers to 162. That is an increase of 12 (+8.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #116,201 to #114,613.
What does the Census say about the background of Plotnikov?
Among Census respondents with the surname Plotnikov, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.5%) and Hispanic (1.2%). 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 Plotnikov in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.7% (155 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Plotnikov appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.7%), Two or More Races (2.5%), Hispanic (1.2%). 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 Plotnikov (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 Plotnikov mean?
A Russian surname derived from the word "plotnik" meaning carpenter or joiner. 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 Plotnikov (0.05 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 share the surname Plotnikov?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.