Surname Place - Meaning and Origin

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U. Place

Place: What does the surname Place mean?

The surname Place primarily originates from England and Scotland. It is a locational surname derived from various places in these regions. The word 'place' itself comes from the Old French 'place' meaning a courtyard or mansion, which in turn is derived from the Latin 'platea,' meaning broad or open space. Thus, it was likely given to individuals who lived near a prominent town square, market place, or lived in a manor. During the Middle Ages, it was common to name people based on their dwelling place or geographical features around their residence, hence the surname Place might have originated in this way. Note that a single surname could spring up in multiple locations independently, so not all those with the last name Place necessarily share a common ancestor. It is also possible that some bearers of the surname Place acquired it through anglicization of a different original surname.

Place: Where does the name Place come from?

The last name Place is surprisingly common throughout the world today. It has variations in multiple countries, in various spellings, and likely developed independently in some areas. In Europe, it often can be found in England, France, Germany, Scotland, and Italy, where it appears in a variety of spellings such as Placee, de la Place, Plasse, de Place, Plaize, Plees, Plaz, and Platz.

In the United States the spelling is usually just "Place". It is particularly common in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey as well as other parts of the Northeast. As for the origin of the name, it may be derived from the French verb "Placer", which means to put or place something in a certain location. Alternatively, it may also be of German origin, with the German noun "Platz" meaning ground or piece of land. This is consistent with some of its multiple spellings.

In other parts of the world, Place is a common surname in the Caribbean, especially in Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic as well as in Canada, India, and China. With its wide distribution, Place could be a surname of multiple nationalities, and it could have either evolved from language to language or been passed down in multiple areas independently. As such, its origin and history have remained unclear, but its reach is surprisingly widespread.

Variations of the surname Place

The surname Place is traceable to incorporation of French place dental into the English language around the 11th century. The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin which have developed since then include:

Plas, Plais, De Plaiz, De Plais, Placey, Placey, Plasse, Plassey, Plaice, Plice, Delplace, De Plas, De Plasse, Plaiz, Plaz and Plasse.

Place is derived from the Latin placita, meaning 'flat and open land', which became the French word place, denoting a flat area often used for military manoeuvres. Over time, the English spelling became gradually adapted to reflect the newer variations of the vocable.

The Place surname has adopted a variety of phonetic spellings over the years. Some are specific to certain regions and the genesis of the name. For example, 'Plas' is chiefly foundin the north-west of England, and 'De Plaiz' is mainly found in the south of England.

By the thirteenth century, Place was also used as a given name and it was sometimes used to describe someone who lived near a designated place in the countryside. The associated placename continued to be used throughout the course of the Middle Ages, but increasingly the surname began to serve as an inherited one.

In Wales and Cornwall, the name Place has become corrupted into Pilce, Pilcev and Phillce.

The Place surname continues to be widely found in many countries around the world, including the United States, Canada, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.

Famous people with the name Place

• Ellen Place (American actress, best known for portraying roles in the television shows The Golden Girls and Beverly Hills 90210)
• Mark Place (American stuntman and actor, best known for his roles in the Bourne series)
• Jackie Place (African-American actress and singer, nominated for a Golden Globe Award and a Tony Award)
• Sara Place (American author and entrepreneur, best known for her self-help book, Create a Place to Thrive: Build Your Life Now)
• Kim Place (Australian journalist and newsreader, currently working for Nine News)
• Henry Place (British physicist and author, known for his work in quantum mechanics and relativity)
• Frank Place (American politician, member of the United States House of Representatives from 1916 to 1925)
• Maureen Place (Canadian actor, known for her roles in the television series The Eric Andre Show and Sophie's World)
• Nick Place (English DJ, producer, and composer, one of the founders of the electronic dance music duo Night Flight)
• Karl Place (Australian rugby league player, part of the team that won the Rugby League World Cup in 2017)

Other surnames

Plach