2000
#115,489
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 140
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Akai
A Japanese surname meaning "red" or "red-colored," likely referring to a place name or physical characteristic.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 197 Americans carry the last name Akai. That puts it at #109,465 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,739,870 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Akai surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
197
1 in 1,739,870
Census rank
#109,465
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
172
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 172 bearers of the surname Akai in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 109465th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Akai, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 33.7%. The next largest groups are White (24.4%) and Black (19.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Akai
Among Census respondents with the surname Akai, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 33.7%. The next largest groups are White (24.4%) and Black (19.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Akai bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Akai surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander33.7% · 58
- White24.4% · 42
- Black or African American19.8% · 34
- Two or more races16.9% · 29
- Hispanic or Latino4.1% · 7
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.2% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Akai
Akai appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#112,568
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 156
+16 bearers (+11.4%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 2,921 places
2020
#109,465
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 172
+16 bearers (+10.3%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Up 3,103 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #115,489 | 140 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #112,568 | 156 | 0.05 | +16 bearers (+11.4%) | Up 2,921 places |
| 2020 | #109,465 | 172 | 0.06 | +16 bearers (+10.3%) | Up 3,103 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Akai surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #112,568 | #109,465 | 2.8% |
| Count | 156 | 172 | 10.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.06 | 15.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Akai bearers went from 156 to 172 (+10.3% change). The surname moved up 3,103 positions in the national ranking, going from #112,568 to #109,465.
FAQ
Akai surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Akai?
Name Census estimates that about 197 living Americans carry the surname Akai. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,739,870 residents.
How common is Akai?
Akai ranks #109,465 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 172 people with the surname Akai. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (197), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.06 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.06 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Akai.
Has Akai become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Akai went from 156 recorded bearers to 172. That is an increase of 16 (+10.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #112,568 to #109,465.
What does the Census say about the background of Akai?
Among Census respondents with the surname Akai, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 33.7%. The next largest groups are White (24.4%) and Black (19.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Akai in the 2020 Census, accounting for 33.7% (58 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Akai appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (33.7%), White (24.4%), Black (19.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Akai (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Akai mean?
A Japanese surname meaning "red" or "red-colored," likely referring to a place name or physical characteristic. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Akai (0.06 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Akai?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.