2000
#133,114
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Akao
A Japanese surname meaning "red well," likely referring to the presence of iron-rich water in a well.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 117 Americans carry the last name Akao. That puts it at #154,755 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,929,524 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Akao 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
117
1 in 2,929,524
Census rank
#154,755
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
102
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 102 bearers of the surname Akao in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154755th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Akao, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 54.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (21.6%) and Hispanic (10.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Akao
The surname AKAO is believed to have originated from Japan, where it has been recorded since the early 8th century AD. The name is thought to derive from the Japanese word "aka," meaning "red," and the suffix "-o," which denotes a possessive or descriptive quality. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone with a reddish complexion or hair color.
One of the earliest known records of the AKAO name can be found in the Shoku Nihongi, an imperial chronicle compiled in 797 AD, which mentions an individual named Akao no Sukemaro. This historical document suggests that the name was already established in the Japanese aristocracy during the late Nara period.
In the 12th century, a Buddhist monk named Akao Jitsunyo (1115–1198) was known for his expertise in the Shingon sect of Buddhism and served as the head priest of the Tō-ji temple in Kyoto. His influence helped to further establish the AKAO name within religious circles.
During the Kamakura period (1185–1333), the AKAO surname was associated with several samurai clans, including the Akao clan of Hitachi Province (modern-day Ibaraki Prefecture). This clan played a significant role in the battles between the Minamoto and Taira clans during the Genpei War.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named Akao Kiyonobu (1530–1599) was a skilled swordsman and instructor in the Shindō Munen-ryū school of swordsmanship. He served under the famous daimyo Tokugawa Ieyasu and was instrumental in the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate.
Another prominent individual with the AKAO surname was Akao Bin (1639–1696), a Confucian scholar and advisor to the Tokugawa shogunate. He was known for his contributions to the field of Neo-Confucianism and his writings on ethics and governance.
Throughout the Edo period (1603–1868), the AKAO name was associated with various samurai families, merchants, and scholars, further solidifying its presence in Japanese history and culture.
While the AKAO surname has its roots in Japan, it has also been adopted by individuals in other parts of the world, particularly in areas with significant Japanese diaspora communities. However, the detailed history and origins of the name are firmly rooted in the rich cultural and historical tapestry of Japan.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Akao
Among Census respondents with the surname Akao, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 54.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (21.6%) and Hispanic (10.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Akao 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 Akao surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander54.9% · 56
- Two or more races21.6% · 22
- Hispanic or Latino10.8% · 11
- White6.9% · 7
- Black or African American3.9% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Akao
Akao 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
#140,157
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+2 bearers (+1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,043 places
2020
#154,755
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
-17 bearers (-14.3%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 14,598 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #133,114 | 117 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #140,157 | 119 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.7%) | Down 7,043 places |
| 2020 | #154,755 | 102 | 0.03 | -17 bearers (-14.3%) | Down 14,598 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 Akao 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 | #140,157 | #154,755 | -10.4% |
| Count | 119 | 102 | -14.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -14.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Akao bearers went from 119 to 102 (-14.3% change). The surname moved down 14,598 positions in the national ranking, going from #140,157 to #154,755.
FAQ
Akao surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Akao?
Name Census estimates that about 117 living Americans carry the surname Akao. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,929,524 residents.
How common is Akao?
Akao ranks #154,755 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 102 people with the surname Akao. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (117), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Akao.
Has Akao become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Akao went from 119 recorded bearers to 102. That is a decrease of 17 (-14.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #140,157 to #154,755.
What does the Census say about the background of Akao?
Among Census respondents with the surname Akao, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 54.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (21.6%) and Hispanic (10.8%). 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 Akao in the 2020 Census, accounting for 54.9% (56 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Akao appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (54.9%), Two or More Races (21.6%), Hispanic (10.8%). 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 Akao (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 Akao mean?
A Japanese surname meaning "red well," likely referring to the presence of iron-rich water in a well. 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 Akao (0.03 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 Akao?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.