Find out how popular the last name Akai is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Akai.

Akai, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Akai surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Akai in America

Akai is the 112568th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Akai surname appeared 156 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Akai.

We can also compare 2010 data for Akai to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Akai

The surname AKAI has its origins in Japan, dating back to the 8th century AD. It is derived from the Japanese word "akai," which means "red" or "crimson." This name was likely given to individuals who had a connection to the color red, such as dyeing fabrics or producing red pigments.

During the Heian period (794-1185 AD), the AKAI family is mentioned in several historical records, including the Shoku Nihongi, an imperial chronicle from the 8th century. This suggests that the name was established and held some prominence during this time.

In the 12th century, a member of the AKAI clan, Akai Masatsune, was a prominent samurai warrior who served under the Minamoto clan during the Genpei War. He is known for his bravery and loyalty in battle.

The AKAI surname has also been associated with several notable figures in Japanese art and literature. One example is Akai Tokuzo (1855-1922), a renowned ukiyo-e artist and printmaker from the late Edo and Meiji periods.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Akai Naohiro (1778-1830), a scholar and poet who lived during the Edo period. He was known for his expertise in classical Japanese literature and his contributions to the study of the Man'yoshu, an ancient poetry anthology.

In the 20th century, Akai Tomoo (1902-1990) was a celebrated Japanese film director and screenwriter. He is best known for his work in the jidaigeki (period drama) genre and for films such as "Satsuma no Uta" (1949) and "Sakuradamongai no Hen" (1952).

Throughout its history, the AKAI surname has undergone various spellings and modifications, reflecting regional variations and linguistic changes over time. However, its connection to the color red and its Japanese origins have remained consistent.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Akai

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Akai.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Akai was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Akai has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Akai was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Akai, please contact us.

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