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

Akashi, 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 Akashi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Akashi in America

Akashi is the 144141st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Akashi surname appeared 115 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 Akashi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Akashi 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 Akashi

The surname Akashi originates from Japan and can be traced back to the late 8th century. It is derived from the name of the city of Akashi, located in the Hyogo Prefecture on the island of Honshu. The name Akashi is believed to be derived from the Japanese words "aka" meaning "red" and "shi" meaning "salt," referring to the city's history of producing red salt.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Akashi name can be found in the Shoku Nihongi, an early Japanese chronicle completed in 797 CE. This text includes references to the Akashi clan, who were prominent landowners and administrators in the Akashi region during the late Nara and early Heian periods.

The Akashi name is also found in several medieval Japanese literary works, such as the Tsurezure-gusa, a collection of essays written by the renowned Buddhist monk and scholar Yoshida Kenko in the 14th century. Kenko mentions an Akashi family member as a patron of the arts and literature.

In the 16th century, during the Sengoku period, the Akashi clan played a significant role in the political and military affairs of the region. Akashi Kaganokami, born in 1510, was a prominent samurai and military commander who served under the powerful Mori clan. He is remembered for his bravery and strategic acumen in several battles against rival clans.

Another notable figure in Japanese history with the Akashi surname was Akashi Motosuke, born in 1592. He was a renowned Confucian scholar and educator who established one of the earliest modern schools in Japan, the Kaitoku-ji School, which taught subjects such as mathematics, astronomy, and military strategy.

In the Edo period (1603-1867), the Akashi family maintained their status as influential landowners and administrators in the Akashi region. Akashi Yoshitsugu, born in 1699, was a prominent scholar and poet who contributed to the development of the haiku form of poetry.

During the Meiji Restoration in the late 19th century, Akashi Gidayū, born in 1834, was a prominent political figure and advocate for modernization and westernization in Japan. He played a crucial role in the establishment of the new imperial government and the abolition of the feudal system.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Akashi

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

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 Akashi 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 Akashi 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 Akashi was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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