Display omitted •Pt nanoparticles (NPs) were successfully loaded onto several atomic-layer-thick SrBi4Ti4O15 (SBTO) nanosheets via an efficient preparation method.•The average hydrogen evolution rate of SBTO-Pt-6 wt% is ∼ 3700 μmol g-1h−1, which exceeds that of many ferroelectric catalysts.•DFT calculations showed that added Pt NPs are active sites for hydrogen evolution.•Localized surface plasmon resonance effects as well as excellent electron trapping ability of Pt NPs play crucial roles. Combining metal with ferroelectrics is one of the reliable strategies to enhance the photocatalytic water splitting of ferroelectrics dramatically. However, the metal loading ratio is directly related to the synergistic effect of catalysts. In order to find the appropriate loading of Pt, we fabricated SrBi4Ti4O15 (SBTO) nanosheets (NSs) and deposited different amounts of Pt nanoparticles (NPs) to form heterojunction. The optoelectronic characterizations verified that the Pt-modified SBTO NSs have broadened absorption of visible light; produce more long-lived charge carriers. The photocatalytic hydrogen production can reach 11700 μmol g−1 under continuous illumination for 3 h from the sample containing 6 wt% Pt, showing a much higher hydrogen evolution rate than other ferroelectric materials under similar reaction systems. Our work provides a valuable and feasible solution to produce hydrogen from water.