PLATER
The surname Plater is of English origin and is recorded in the British Isles. It is an occupational name derived from the Middle English word platere, which referred to a maker or seller of plates and dishes.
In the Middle Ages, the term platere was used to describe individuals who produced or traded flatware and serving vessels. The root of the word is the Old French plate, itself from the Latin placa meaning a broad, flat object. Thus, the surname directly identifies a specific craft within the household industry of the period.
Occupational surnames were commonly adopted in England during the 12th and 13th centuries, often as a means of distinguishing individuals within a growing population. A person named Plater would have been widely recognised in his community for his trade, and the designation would have passed to his descendants as a hereditary surname.
The transition from a descriptive label to a family name reflects the broader pattern of surname formation in England, where many surnames bear the marks of the bearer’s profession, location, or a characteristic trait. The name Plater therefore embodies both a specific skill and the social custom of the era.
Today the surname Plater can be found in the United Kingdom and in countries with historical links to Britain. While its occupational meaning is no longer apparent in the lives of most bearers, the name remains a testament to the craft of plate-making that once played a role in medieval English society.
Typical given names associated with the Plater surname
Male
- Alan
- Andrew
- David
- Ian
- James
- John
- Paul
- Richard
- Robert
- Steven
Female
- Dorothy
- Helen
- Janet
- Jean
- Linda
- Margaret
- Marise
- Patricia
- Rebecca
- Sarah
- Sheila
- Susan
- Tania
- Victoria
- Zoe
Similar and related surnames
- Platter
- Palter
- Pelter
- Pelletier
- Plate
- Platero
- Palider
- Paulder
- Paulter
- Peleteiro
- Peletier
- Pellitteri
- Peltier
- Peltor
- Pillitteri
- Pilter
- Plaister
- Plaiter
- Planter
- Plaseter
- Plaster
- Plat
- Plata
- Platek
- Platel
- Plateroti
- Plates
- Platner
- Platrier
- Platte
- Plattern
- Plattner
- Platzer
- Playte
- Playter
- Pleder
- Pludra
- Polder
- Polidor
- Polidore
- Polidori
- Polidoro
- Polledri
- Pollydore
- Polter
- Poltera
- Polydor
- Polydore
- Polydorou
- Poulder
- Poultar
- Poulter
- Poultor
- Pulter
- Plader
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Plater in...
Braille
⠏⠇⠁⠞⠑⠗
Morse
.--..-...--..-.
Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Plater are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Chocolate Chip Cookie.
There are approximately 887 people named Plater in the UK. That makes it roughly the 8,114th most common surname in Britain. Around 14 in a million people in Britain are named Plater.
Surname type: Occupational name
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Plater
- Alan Plater - Screenwriter (1935 to 2010)
- Steve Plater - Motorcycle racer
- Philip Plater - Sports shooter (1866 to 1943)
- Matthew Plater - Cricketer
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.