Plasencia
A Spanish surname taken from the city of Plasencia, meaning someone from that place.
The #9,058 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 85,572 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Plasencia is a habitational surname, originally given to people who came from the Spanish city of Plasencia in Cáceres. The place name is commonly linked to Latin placentia, from placens, meaning “pleasant” or “agreeable,” though place-name histories can be more complex. As a surname, it simply marked geographic origin.
History
The name spread as a surname in Spain and later to Spanish-speaking communities abroad. The excerpts provided mention Plasencia only as a noble title, not as a surname entry, so they do not add direct evidence about family-name history. Today it is best understood as a place-based Spanish surname.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Plasencia is also the name of a historic walled city in western Spain, founded in the medieval period and still known for its old quarter and cathedral buildings.
From the historical record
“tardos. Su primogénito D. Pedro de Estuñiga se casó con D.a Juana de Guzmán, engrandeció mucho su casa y fué creado Conde de Plasencia. Tuvo dos hijos, el mayor D. Alvaro de Estuñiga, Conde de Plasencia, fué después nombrado Duque de Arévalo y se casó con una hija del Adelantado Pedro Manrique. Su primogé- nito D.…”
— Origen de 300 apellidos castellanos y vascongados