Explore the Family Name Plate
The meaning of Plate
1. German and Dutch: metonymic occupational name for a maker of plate armor, from Middle High German blate, plate, Middle Dutch plate ‘plate, armor plating’. 2. North German: topographic name from Middle Low German plate ‘sandbank at a river or in the sea’; also habitational name from a place so named in Mecklenburg and other regions. 3. English (Staffordshire and Lancashire): variant of Platt 1 or 2. Some characteristic forenames: German Alfons, Gunther, Hans, Heinz, Otto, Reinold.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Plate in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Plate has seen a slight decline over a decade. In 2000, Plate was positioned at rank 17,960 and by 2010 it had slipped to 20,512, marking a decrease of approximately 14.21%. The count of individuals bearing this surname also dropped from 1,434 in 2000 to 1,293 in 2010, reflecting a reduction of nearly 9.83%. The proportion per 100,000 people also saw a fall from 0.53 to 0.44, indicating a change of -16.98%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #17,960 | #20,512 | -14.21% |
| Count | 1,434 | 1,293 | -9.83% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.53 | 0.44 | -16.98% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Plate
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Plate shows some variations according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. Those identifying as White remained the highest, although it dipped slightly from 93.79% in 2000 to 93.12% in 2010. There was a notable increase in those identifying as Hispanic, rising from 1.81% in 2000 to 3.56% in 2010. However, there was a significant drop in those identifying as Black, from 1.95% to 1.24% during the same period. People identifying with two or more races saw an increase from 1.19% to 1.47%. For Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native categories, the information was suppressed for privacy reasons.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 93.79% | 93.12% | -0.71% |
| Hispanic | 1.81% | 3.56% | 96.69% |
| Two or More Races | 1.19% | 1.47% | 23.53% |
| Black | 1.95% | 1.24% | -36.41% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.7% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.56% | 0% | 0% |