Classified and Nonclassified Loans at Net Carrying Values (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Commercial loans	$ 164,498	$ 189,226
Consumer loans	40,181	49,977
Other loans	10,983	12,880
Loans held for investment	3,743,898	3,660,961
Real Estate \| Residential - 1 to 4 Family
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	1,204,734	1,040,126
Real Estate \| Multifamily
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	543,391	344,643
Real Estate \| Commercial
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	1,486,464	1,588,852
Real Estate \| Construction
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	67,290	185,400
Real Estate \| Revolving - 1 to 4 Family
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	226,357	249,857
Loans Originated or Purchased Since Transaction Date
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Commercial loans	26,444	11,622
Consumer loans	5,702	6,404
Other loans	3,658	2,335
Loans held for investment	1,144,814	588,025
Loans Originated or Purchased Since Transaction Date \| Real Estate \| Residential - 1 to 4 Family
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	567,667	296,257
Loans Originated or Purchased Since Transaction Date \| Real Estate \| Multifamily
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	365,115	151,417
Loans Originated or Purchased Since Transaction Date \| Real Estate \| Commercial
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	159,801	114,307
Loans Originated or Purchased Since Transaction Date \| Real Estate \| Construction
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	10,993	1,793
Loans Originated or Purchased Since Transaction Date \| Real Estate \| Revolving - 1 to 4 Family
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	5,434	3,890
Purchased Credit Impaired Revolving Pools
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Commercial loans	97,503	120,798
Consumer loans	16,543	21,231
Other loans	2,420	4,707
Loans held for investment	400,654	476,386
Purchased Credit Impaired Revolving Pools \| Real Estate \| Residential - 1 to 4 Family
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	52,705	64,587
Purchased Credit Impaired Revolving Pools \| Real Estate \| Multifamily
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	1,347	1,376
Purchased Credit Impaired Revolving Pools \| Real Estate \| Commercial
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	4,521	19,708
Purchased Credit Impaired Revolving Pools \| Real Estate \| Construction
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	4,692	3,961
Purchased Credit Impaired Revolving Pools \| Real Estate \| Revolving - 1 to 4 Family
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	220,923	240,018
Purchased Credit Impaired Term Pools
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Commercial loans	40,551	56,806
Consumer loans	17,936	22,342
Other loans	4,905	5,838
Loans held for investment	2,198,430	2,596,550
Purchased Credit Impaired Term Pools \| Real Estate \| Residential - 1 to 4 Family
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	584,362	679,282
Purchased Credit Impaired Term Pools \| Real Estate \| Multifamily
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	176,929	191,850
Purchased Credit Impaired Term Pools \| Real Estate \| Commercial
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	1,322,142	1,454,837
Purchased Credit Impaired Term Pools \| Real Estate \| Construction
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	51,605	179,646
Purchased Credit Impaired Term Pools \| Real Estate \| Revolving - 1 to 4 Family
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate		5,949
Non-Classified
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans held for investment	3,395,196	3,098,297
Non-Classified \| Loans Originated or Purchased Since Transaction Date
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Commercial loans	25,456	11,622
Consumer loans	5,702	6,404
Other loans	3,576	2,222
Loans held for investment	1,142,756	587,912
Non-Classified \| Loans Originated or Purchased Since Transaction Date \| Real Estate \| Residential - 1 to 4 Family
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	567,667	296,257
Non-Classified \| Loans Originated or Purchased Since Transaction Date \| Real Estate \| Multifamily
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	364,868	151,417
Non-Classified \| Loans Originated or Purchased Since Transaction Date \| Real Estate \| Commercial
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	159,060	114,307
Non-Classified \| Loans Originated or Purchased Since Transaction Date \| Real Estate \| Construction
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	10,993	1,793
Non-Classified \| Loans Originated or Purchased Since Transaction Date \| Real Estate \| Revolving - 1 to 4 Family
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	5,434	3,890
Non-Classified \| Purchased Credit Impaired Revolving Pools
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Commercial loans	82,603	107,268
Consumer loans	16,155	20,542
Other loans	1,961	4,054
Loans held for investment	368,163	443,198
Non-Classified \| Purchased Credit Impaired Revolving Pools \| Real Estate \| Residential - 1 to 4 Family
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	47,486	59,505
Non-Classified \| Purchased Credit Impaired Revolving Pools \| Real Estate \| Multifamily
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	1,347	1,376
Non-Classified \| Purchased Credit Impaired Revolving Pools \| Real Estate \| Commercial
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	3,549	18,923
Non-Classified \| Purchased Credit Impaired Revolving Pools \| Real Estate \| Construction
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	4,692	3,641
Non-Classified \| Purchased Credit Impaired Revolving Pools \| Real Estate \| Revolving - 1 to 4 Family
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	210,370	227,889
Non-Classified \| Purchased Credit Impaired Term Pools
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Commercial loans	29,112	34,937
Consumer loans	17,446	21,563
Other loans	4,645	4,662
Loans held for investment	1,884,277	2,067,187
Non-Classified \| Purchased Credit Impaired Term Pools \| Real Estate \| Residential - 1 to 4 Family
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	526,556	595,104
Non-Classified \| Purchased Credit Impaired Term Pools \| Real Estate \| Multifamily
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	163,941	180,971
Non-Classified \| Purchased Credit Impaired Term Pools \| Real Estate \| Commercial
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	1,109,650	1,158,546
Non-Classified \| Purchased Credit Impaired Term Pools \| Real Estate \| Construction
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	32,927	69,318
Non-Classified \| Purchased Credit Impaired Term Pools \| Real Estate \| Revolving - 1 to 4 Family
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate		2,086
Classified
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans held for investment	348,702	562,664
Classified \| Loans Originated or Purchased Since Transaction Date
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Commercial loans	988
Other loans	82	113
Loans held for investment	2,058	113
Classified \| Loans Originated or Purchased Since Transaction Date \| Real Estate \| Multifamily
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	247
Classified \| Loans Originated or Purchased Since Transaction Date \| Real Estate \| Commercial
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	741
Classified \| Purchased Credit Impaired Revolving Pools
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Commercial loans	14,900	13,530
Consumer loans	388	689
Other loans	459	653
Loans held for investment	32,491	33,188
Classified \| Purchased Credit Impaired Revolving Pools \| Real Estate \| Residential - 1 to 4 Family
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	5,219	5,082
Classified \| Purchased Credit Impaired Revolving Pools \| Real Estate \| Commercial
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	972	785
Classified \| Purchased Credit Impaired Revolving Pools \| Real Estate \| Construction
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate		320
Classified \| Purchased Credit Impaired Revolving Pools \| Real Estate \| Revolving - 1 to 4 Family
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	10,553	12,129
Classified \| Purchased Credit Impaired Term Pools
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Commercial loans	11,439	21,869
Consumer loans	490	779
Other loans	260	1,176
Loans held for investment	314,153	529,363
Classified \| Purchased Credit Impaired Term Pools \| Real Estate \| Residential - 1 to 4 Family
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	57,806	84,178
Classified \| Purchased Credit Impaired Term Pools \| Real Estate \| Multifamily
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	12,988	10,879
Classified \| Purchased Credit Impaired Term Pools \| Real Estate \| Commercial
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	212,492	296,291
Classified \| Purchased Credit Impaired Term Pools \| Real Estate \| Construction
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate	18,678	110,328
Classified \| Purchased Credit Impaired Term Pools \| Real Estate \| Revolving - 1 to 4 Family
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Real estate		$ 3,863

Reflects the net carrying amount of commercial loans and leases held in portfolio, after deducting deferred income, but before deducting the allowance for losses on commercial loans and leases.

+ References+ Details

- Definition

Reflects the net carrying amount of consumer loans and leases held in portfolio, after deducting deferred income, but before deducting the allowance for losses on consumer loans and leases.

+ References+ Details

- Definition

Amount before allowance and after deduction of deferred interest and fees, unamortized costs and premiums and discounts from face amounts, of loans and leases held in portfolio, including but not limited to, commercial and consumer loans. Excludes loans and leases covered under loss sharing agreements.

+ References+ Details

- Definition

Reflects the net carrying amount of loans and leases held in portfolio, not otherwise defined in the taxonomy, after deducting deferred income, but before deducting the allowance for losses on such loans and leases.

+ References+ Details

PACIFIC CAPITAL BANCORP /CA/ 10-Q