Japanese American Surnames

Japanese American surnames are those carried by the descendants of Japanese immigrants to the United States. Often, they are often transliterated from Japanese kanji characters into English.

History of Japanese American surnamesHistory of Japanese American surnames

Japanese immigration to the United States began in the late 19th century. Many first arrived in Hawaii in the 1880s to work on plantations, and a substantial number moved to the continental U.S. by the early 1900s. After discriminatory laws against Chinese immigrants were repealed, growing demand for agricultural labor drew tens of thousands of Japanese (“Issei” or first-generation) to California, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska by the 1920s. Political pressure eventually led to the 1907–1908 Gentlemen’s Agreement, under which Japan limited passports so that only the wives and children of existing immigrants could come. Still, “picture brides” continued to arrive and form families until U.S. immigration law banned new Japanese laborers altogether in 1924.

After the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7, 1941, fear and racism led the U.S. government to target all people of Japanese descent on the West Coast. President Roosevelt’s Executive Order 9066 (Feb 1942) authorized military commanders to exclude Japanese Americans from prescribed areas. By early spring 1942, roughly 112,000 Japanese Americans (about two-thirds of them U.S. citizens) were forcibly removed to temporary “assembly centers” (often fairgrounds) and then to inland incarceration camps. Families lost homes and businesses on short notice, and many lived for years in tar-papered barracks under armed guard. (Japanese Americans in Hawaii, where they were a much larger proportion of the population, were mostly not subjected to mass removal.) These camps – called “relocation centers” or “internment camps” – held entire families together; each family was assigned a number and shared one or more barracks with other families.

The internment experience is a key part of most Japanese Americans’ family history. (It was not until 1988 that Congress officially apologized and provided reparations to surviving survivors.) World War II spurred a break in immigration and changes in naming: some families altered or Americanized their names to avoid suspicion. But after the war and especially after the 1952 repeal of exclusion laws, Japanese immigration resumed and many Issei (first-generation) and Nisei (second-generation) settled permanently in communities across the U.S.

Structure of Japanese SurnamesStructure of Japanese Surnames

Japanese surnames are almost always written in kanji (Chinese characters), with most names composed of two kanji. There are over 300,000 surnames in Japan today, so even common ones may not indicate a single family. Many surnames describe geographic or natural features. For example, Tanaka (田中) literally means “in the middle of rice fields”, and Yamamoto (山本) means “at the base of the mountain.” Characters like 山 (yama “mountain”), 川 (kawa/ryū “river”), 田 (ta/da “rice field”), 林 (hayashi “forest”), 原 (hara “plain”), and 森 (mori “forest”) frequently occur in names. About 30% of all Japanese surnames contain the character 田 (ta) reflecting Japan’s agricultural history. Some names use directional or descriptive kanji (e.g. Nakamura 中村 “middle village”, Fujita 藤田 “wisteria field”). A few names are one kanji (like O 大) or three kanji, but these are rare.

There are also regional naming patterns. For example, many Okinawan families have unique names not found on the mainland. Names like Chinen (知念) and Shimabukuro (島袋) are common in Okinawa but rare elsewhere. In general, knowing the meaning or region of a name can help trace origins: a name with “shima” (island) or “Oki” might hint at Okinawa; Ishikawa (石川 “stone river”) might come from that province. Learning basic kanji meanings is useful, as names often signal a family’s old locality or status.

Name Variations After ImmigrationName Variations After Immigration

When Japanese immigrants arrived in America, their names were often rendered into the Roman alphabet in inconsistent ways. Before World War II, Japanese names were usually written in passports or ship manifests using the spelling conventions of the time. For example, the long “ō” sound in Satō (佐藤) might be written Sato, Satoh, or Satow. A name like Yasuzō (安造) might be spelled Yasudo if a passport office misheard it. Some immigrants altered spellings deliberately for ease of pronunciation or to fit in: one family changed “Edo” to “Eddow” to sound more English, and some added letters (like Takahash instead of Takahashi) to stand out. Others simply dropped the u or i (Osam for Osamu, Takahash for Takahashi). Thus, a single Japanese surname can appear in records under multiple variants. When researching, keep alternate spellings in mind.

In some cases, families changed names more drastically. For example, very complex or uncommon kanji were sometimes replaced by simpler ones. A high-profile example is engineer Zenei Kadekaru (嘉手苅), who legally changed his surname to Nakaya (中谷) because non-Japanese speakers could not pronounce or write his Okinawan name. Also note that Japanese custom is surname-first (e.g. Tanaka Yūji) while Americans reverse it; U.S. records may list names either way. After WWII, some Japanese Americans adopted anglicized given names (Kenji→Kenneth, etc.), but surnames usually remained Japanese in origin, aside from spelling shifts.

Genealogical Research StrategiesGenealogical Research Strategies

Genealogical research for Japanese American families involves both U.S. and Japanese sources. Below are key resources and tips:

Japanese records (Koseki, etc.): If you know an ancestor’s family origin in Japan, the koseki (family register) is the most important record. These household registers contain all births, marriages, and deaths for a family. Access is restricted by Japanese privacy laws, so many researchers use services (such as Densho’s Koseki Retrieval) to get them. Japanese-language vital records and temple registers (kakocho) can also help identify generations before immigration. (You may need a translator, since these are usually in kanji.) Finding the ancestor’s honseki (registered domicile in Japan) and correct kanji spelling of their name is crucial for requesting these documents.
U.S. immigration and naturalization records: Ship passenger lists (from Angel Island, San Francisco, Seattle, Honolulu, etc.) and passport applications often record names, ages, last Japanese residence, and destination. From 1910s onward, men were fingerprinted on arrival, so Alien Registration Files (“A-Files”) at the National Archives can contain detailed info on Issei immigrants. “Picture bride” records and Certificate of Identification files (1930s–40s) sometimes survive. Census records (especially 1930, 1940) list households with surname (often anglicized) and birthplaces. After 1952, many Japanese immigrants naturalized; naturalization certificates and petitions (NARA RG 21) may show original names and addresses. Searching the National Archives catalog or sites like MyHeritage for the individual’s name (with variants) is a good step.
Internment records: If an ancestor was interned during WWII, War Relocation Authority (WRA) camp records are invaluable. NARA has microfilmed Final Rosters (Form 26) and Individual Detainee Custody Records for each camp. The Densho Names Registry is a searchable index of over 120,000 Japanese American internees (from all ten WRA camps and related DOJ camps) that links to these records. You can look up a name (and its variations) in that database to find camp locations and family numbers. Don’t forget internment camp newspapers, newsletters, and newsletters, which may mention family members.
Oral histories and community archives: Many Japanese American communities have preserved oral histories and photo collections. Densho’s Digital Repository contains over 100,000 interviews, photos, and documents contributed by families. Local institutions like the Japanese American National Museum (JANM), regional libraries, or university archives (e.g. Cal State Densho, UC Santa Barbara’s Japanese American Oral History Project) may hold memoirs or documents. Interview elder relatives or community members whenever possible – even informal family stories can reveal original name spellings or hometowns. Community newspapers (like The Pacific Citizen) and church or Buddhist temple records (shūmonchō membership lists) are also useful sources.
Genealogy societies and online resources: Organizations like the Nikkei Genealogical Society (NikkeiGen) offer guidance and support. Many national and local Japanese American historical societies collect genealogical data. Online forums, Facebook groups, and Discover Nikkei (JA Heritage) can connect you with others researching the same names or regions. The National Archives FAQ on Japanese American genealogy and guides (like the JANM or Densho site) provide step-by-step advice.

In all research, keep in mind spelling variations and the use of both given and Japanese names. For example, some internees used a Japanese given name in camp records and an English name elsewhere. Always search catalogs for all known name spellings and versions.

Common Japanese Surnames and Research TipsCommon Japanese Surnames and Research Tips

While any surname can appear in Japanese American genealogy, some names are very common in Japan. Here are a few examples of widely encountered surnames, their meanings, and notes for researchers:

Satō (佐藤) – Most common surname in Japan. Means “assistant” (佐) + “wisteria” (藤). In English records it may appear as Sato, Satoh, or Satow (long “ō” rendered variously). Research tip: Because Satō is ubiquitous, be sure you have corroborating details (birthdate, hometown, camp) to distinguish individuals.
Suzuki (鈴木) – Second most common name. Means “bell” (鈴) + “tree” (木). This name rarely changes spelling. Check that record ages and addresses match if you see more than one Suzuki in a census or camp list.
Takahashi (高橋) – High bridge. The kanji 高 (taka) means “tall” or “expensive” and 橋 (hashi) means “bridge”. Often simply appears as Takahashi in English; sometimes lost the final i. Several unrelated families share this common name.
Tanaka (田中) – Middle of the rice fields. A hint of farming ancestry. Very common. In records you’ll often find Tanaka spelled Tanaka (the “a” is short), but a clerk might have written “Tahnaka” in older documents.
Yamamoto (山本) – Mountain base. The characters 山本 literally mean “mountain origin”. Common both in Japan and among Japanese Americans. Because many U.S. names have similar forms (e.g. Yamaguchi, Yamashita), check dates and family links.
Nakamura (中村) – Middle village. It appears on [16†L73-L77]. Nakamura (and Kobayashi “small forest” on the same lines) are also widespread. If you have several Nakamura in one place, use town or camp information to sort them.
Katō (加藤) – Add wisteria. Also very common. English records sometimes merge the “o” (Kato vs Katoh).

Meaning and context matters: The literal meaning of a surname can suggest its place of origin (e.g. someone named Kawasaki 川崎 “river cape” likely has ties to that city). But be cautious: many people share the same meaning or element. Always cross-check with given names, dates, and locations.

Surname research tip: When a common Japanese surname appears in U.S. records, try to find a less common associated name (like a middle name or Japanese given name) to narrow your search. Also, look for family in Japanese-American directories (before 1942) or BMD indexes (after camps closed). Finally, remember that some sources (like Social Security or vital records) may list only an initial for given name – if you know the kanji, you can sometimes request the original Japanese record using the kanji spelling.

Explore more about Japanese-American surnamesExplore more about Japanese-American surnames

Discover the origin of your last name at MyHeritage
Japanese American Research webinar at Legacy Family Tree Webinars
75 of the Most Common Japanese Last Names and Their Meanings - Parade
Densho Names Registry - Densho Digital Repository
How to Use the Densho Names Registry - Densho
Japanese American Name Culture - Discover Nikkei
Nikkei Genealogical Society - Facebook

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