Pluto last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Pluto

Of Greek origin, a surname meaning rich or wealthy.

Pluto, 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 Pluto surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pluto in America

Pluto is the 80926th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pluto surname appeared 234 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 Pluto.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pluto 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 80926 62577 25.57%
Count 234 299 -24.39%
Proportion per 100k 0.08 0.11 -31.58%

The history of the last name Pluto

The surname Pluto originated in Italy, specifically in the region of Campania, during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Roman name "Plutus," which was the personification of wealth and riches in Greek mythology. This connection suggests that the name may have been initially associated with affluent or prosperous families.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pluto can be found in the archives of the city of Naples, dating back to the 13th century. These records mention a nobleman named Goffredo Pluto, who was a prominent figure in the local government during that time.

In the 15th century, the name appeared in the renowned Codex Cumanicus, a linguistic manuscript containing one of the earliest written records of the Cuman language. This document includes a reference to a person named Petrus Pluto, who was likely a merchant or traveler from the region.

The name Pluto also has ties to various place names in Italy. For instance, the town of Pluto, located in the province of Catanzaro in Calabria, may have influenced the surname's spread and adoption in that area.

One notable figure bearing the surname Pluto was Giovanni Battista Pluto (1668-1745), a prominent Italian architect and engineer who was responsible for the design and construction of several notable buildings in Naples, including the Royal Palace and the Church of San Francesco di Paola.

Another individual of historical significance was Giacomo Pluto (1551-1612), an Italian physician and philosopher who made significant contributions to the study of medicine and natural sciences during the Renaissance period.

In the realm of literature, the name Pluto is associated with the Italian poet and playwright Girolamo Pluto (1500-1567), who was renowned for his comedic works and satirical plays that criticized societal norms and customs of the time.

It is also worth mentioning Niccolò Pluto (1578-1637), an Italian painter who gained recognition for his religious and mythological works, some of which can still be admired in various churches and galleries across Italy.

Lastly, the Venetian merchant and explorer Marco Pluto (1492-1556) is notable for his travels to the Far East and his detailed accounts of the trade routes and cultures he encountered during his voyages.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pluto

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

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 Pluto was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 88.89% 208
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 3.42% 8
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 3.42% 8
Hispanic Origin 4.27% 10

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 Pluto has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 88.89% 88.96% -0.08%
Black 0.00% 2.68% -200.00%
Asian and Pacific Islander 3.42% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 3.42% 3.68% -7.32%
Hispanic 4.27% 3.01% 34.62%

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Pluto last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on May 10, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/pluto-surname-popularity/.

"Pluto last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/pluto-surname-popularity/. Accessed 10 May, 2025

Pluto last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/pluto-surname-popularity/.

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