Explore the Family Name Plato
The meaning of Plato
1. German, Dutch, and Polish: from a Latinized form of the Greek personal name Platōn, which was the name of two early Christian martyrs. However, it is much better known as the name of the Greek philosopher Plato (c.429–c.347 BC), with reference to whom it was occasionally adopted as a humanistic name in northwest Europe during the Reformation. 2. English: variant of Plater, perhaps sometimes altered under the influence of the name of the Greek philosopher (see 1 above).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Plato in the United States?
According to data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Plato saw a downward trend from 2000 to 2010. Ranked 24,763rd in 2000, it dropped to 27,354th place in 2010, marking a decrease of approximately 10.46%. The count also showed a decline, with 944 people bearing the surname in 2000 and only 883 in 2010. This represents a 6.46% drop. Furthermore, the proportion per 100,000 people also decreased by 14.29%, going from 0.35 in 2000 to 0.3 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #24,763 | #27,354 | -10.46% |
| Count | 944 | 883 | -6.46% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.35 | 0.3 | -14.29% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Plato
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the majority of individuals with the surname Plato identified as White, although this percentage fell slightly from 82.31% in 2000 to 78.37% in 2010. The second largest ethnic identity was Black, which rose by 18.97% between the two censuses, going from 11.23% to 13.36%. There was also a small increase in those identifying as Hispanic, up by 2.26% to reach 4.98% in 2010. Additionally, small percentages of individuals identified as Asian/Pacific Islander and Two or more races, with these categories seeing changes of 0 and 43.16% respectively. Meanwhile, 0.68% identified as American Indian and Alaskan Native in 2010, where there had been none in 2000.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 82.31% | 78.37% | -4.79% |
| Black | 11.23% | 13.36% | 18.97% |
| Hispanic | 4.87% | 4.98% | 2.26% |
| Two or More Races | 0.95% | 1.36% | 43.16% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 1.25% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.68% | 0% |