The top 10 surnames cover approximately 10% of the population, while the top 100 surnames cover slightly more than 33%.
It is an ancient and very common surname listed in the Shinsen Shojiroku. These are the descendants of Shiba branch of the Minamoto clan and took the name from a village in Uzen. If you are fascinated with the Japanese culture and their names, then go ahead and use one of these names for your baby (maybe as a nickname? This ranking is a result of a August 2008 study by Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company, which included … Last names are a great way to connect with our roots. The meaning of this surname is ‘large bamboo,’ and is mostly found in the southeastern seaboard and the Ryukyu Islands.Also known as Saitou, Saitoh, and Saito, it is one of the most common surnames.
Singer Rina Aiuchi is a famous personality with this surname.In this Japanese surname, Ama means ‘rain’ and Miya means ‘shrine’. The meaning of this surname is the ‘one who lives beneath the cedars’ and refers to the name of a village near Kamakura.This name means ‘bell tree’ and might have derived from Japan’s pampas grass, Susuki, because this surname is also known as Susuki. By subscribing, you agree to the terms of our Learn more about Thought Catalog and our writers on our Even though her gut warns her to stay home, a work assignment forces Ari to visit the island—and it’s even more dangerous than she ever could have imagined. It is commonly found throughout Japan.The meaning of this surname is ‘former’ or ‘ancestor’ or ‘root’, and is found mostly in eastern Japan and Ryukyu Islands. Top 5 Most Popular Japanese Surnames . A noteworthy name bearer is Ben Wada (TV producer).It means ‘young forest’ and is mostly found in eastern Japan.This is the fifth most common Japanese surname. The … These clans grew into small kingdoms, which were then united under one ruler who gave each clan a designation according to their societal status. This is the second most common surname in Japan with 1.9 million registered people. The surname is prominent in the island of Kyushu. tō 藤 can be read as “fuji”, and means wisteria. A few noteworthy name bearers are Ryogo Kubo (mathematical physicist), and Tatsuhiko Kubo (soccer player).It means a ‘black swamp’. As clans began to devolve into individual households, the Kabane system went out of use, but the … After this period, every person had to legally register their family name—some names were favorable family names and others were either made up or taken from ancient Japanese last names. Nakaya. This surname is originally a place name and refers to a location in the Osaka Prefecture of Japan which was settled by descendants of Emperor Saga (786 – 842). During the Yayoi Period (300 BC-300 AD), Japan had developed a system of clans: people who were related to each other by blood, marriage, or common ancestor would use clan names as family names. Some of the noteworthy name bearers are Kazumo Sano (actor), and Naoki Sano (wrestler).In Japanese script, the letters Sa means ‘help’, or ‘aid’ and ki means ‘tree’, or ‘wood’. Hence, 田中 (Tanaka) means ‘the center of rice fields’. The most famous personality with this surname is Michio Suzuki (the founder of Suzuki Loom Manufacturing Company).Found in eastern Japan and the Ryukyu Islands, this Japanese surname means ‘edge of the rice paddy’. It is more profound in northeastern Japan. Luiz Gushiken (Brazilian politician) is one such notable person.It is also known as Haneda and Hata. A Chinese custom was introduced to countries in East Asia, including Japan, that developed the different names people could have. Then, over time, during the Kofun period, clan leaders and their families started emerging and small kingdoms were established. Japanese share a deep relationship with their ancestors and nature. So how did Japanese names get to where they are today?