2000
#134,929
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Akiu
A Japanese surname of unknown meaning, possibly referring to a place name or geographic feature.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Akiu. That puts it at #150,935 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,764,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Akiu 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
124
1 in 2,764,148
Census rank
#150,935
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
108
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 108 bearers of the surname Akiu in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150935th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Akiu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 53.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (24.1%) and Hispanic (12.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Akiu
The surname AKIU is believed to have originated in the region of Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, during the late 16th century. It is thought to have derived from the Japanese word "akikusa," which translates to "autumn grass." This suggests that the name may have been associated with families or individuals who resided in areas abundant with autumn foliage.
One of the earliest known references to the name AKIU can be found in a collection of genealogical records from the Edo period (1603-1868). These records mention an individual named Akiu Nobuyuki, who was a minor samurai retainer serving under the Tokugawa shogunate in the early 17th century.
In the late 17th century, a Buddhist monk named Akiu Ryokan gained recognition for his renowned calligraphy and haiku poetry. Born in 1758 and passing away in 1831, Ryokan's works have been celebrated for their simplicity and profound insights into the natural world.
During the Meiji era (1868-1912), the AKIU surname appeared in several historical documents related to land ownership and taxation in the Ibaraki region. One notable figure from this period was Akiu Masao, a local landowner and businessman who played a significant role in the development of his community.
In the 20th century, Akiu Tatsuo (1923-2013) gained prominence as a renowned ceramist and artist. His works, which often incorporated traditional Japanese motifs and glazing techniques, were widely acclaimed and are held in various museum collections around the world.
Another individual of note was Akiu Keiko (1934-2008), a celebrated author and poet. Her literary works, which explored themes of identity, family, and the human experience, earned her numerous accolades, including the prestigious Akutagawa Prize in 1967.
While the surname AKIU may not be as widespread as some other Japanese family names, its historical roots can be traced back several centuries, with various individuals bearing this surname leaving their mark across different fields, from literature and art to business and military service.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Akiu
Among Census respondents with the surname Akiu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 53.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (24.1%) and Hispanic (12.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Akiu 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 Akiu surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander53.7% · 58
- Two or more races24.1% · 26
- Hispanic or Latino12.0% · 13
- White6.5% · 7
- Black or African American2.8% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Akiu
Akiu 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
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,212 places
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-7 bearers (-6.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,794 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,929 | 115 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 9,212 places |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | -7 bearers (-6.1%) | Down 6,794 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 Akiu 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 | #144,141 | #150,935 | -4.7% |
| Count | 115 | 108 | -6.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Akiu bearers went from 115 to 108 (-6.1% change). The surname moved down 6,794 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #150,935.
FAQ
Akiu surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Akiu?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Akiu. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Akiu?
Akiu ranks #150,935 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 108 people with the surname Akiu. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (124), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Akiu.
Has Akiu become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Akiu went from 115 recorded bearers to 108. That is a decrease of 7 (-6.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Akiu?
Among Census respondents with the surname Akiu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 53.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (24.1%) and Hispanic (12.0%). 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 Akiu in the 2020 Census, accounting for 53.7% (58 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Akiu appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (53.7%), Two or More Races (24.1%), Hispanic (12.0%). 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 Akiu (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 Akiu mean?
A Japanese surname of unknown meaning, possibly referring to a place name or geographic feature. 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 Akiu (0.04 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 Akiu?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.