2000
#109,328
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 150
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Akutagawa
A Japanese surname meaning "autumn river," likely referring to a place name or geographic feature.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Akutagawa. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Akutagawa 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Akutagawa in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Akutagawa, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 70.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (15.8%) and White (6.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Akutagawa
The surname Akutagawa originates from Japan, where it first appeared during the Edo period (1603–1867). It is believed to be derived from the Japanese words "aku" meaning "evil" or "malicious" and "tagawa" meaning "river" or "stream." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a location near a treacherous or dangerous body of water.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Akutagawa name can be found in the Edo-era document known as the "Buke Shohatto," a comprehensive set of laws and regulations for the samurai class. This text, compiled in 1615, mentions an individual named Akutagawa Toshitsune who was a retainer of the powerful Tokugawa shogunate.
During the Edo period, the Akutagawa family was based in the Musashi Province, which is now part of the greater Tokyo area. They were a respected samurai clan known for their skills in martial arts and their loyalty to the Tokugawa rulers.
In the 19th century, one of the most famous individuals to bear the Akutagawa name was Akutagawa Ryunosuke, a renowned author and literary figure. He was born in 1892 and is regarded as one of the pioneers of modern Japanese literature, known for his innovative short stories and introspective writing style. Akutagawa Ryunosuke's works explored themes of alienation, madness, and the human condition, and he is considered a master of psychological fiction.
Another notable figure in Japanese history with the Akutagawa surname was Akutagawa Hiroshi, a military officer who lived from 1873 to 1944. He served in the Imperial Japanese Army and played a significant role in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905, where he distinguished himself as a skilled strategist and commander.
In more recent times, the Akutagawa Prize, one of Japan's most prestigious literary awards, was established in 1935 and named in honor of the renowned author Akutagawa Ryunosuke. This prestigious award is given twice a year to recognize exceptional works of fiction by both established and emerging Japanese writers.
Throughout its history, the Akutagawa surname has been associated with various notable individuals, from samurai warriors and military commanders to renowned authors and literary figures, all of whom have contributed to the rich cultural heritage of Japan.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Akutagawa
Among Census respondents with the surname Akutagawa, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 70.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (15.8%) and White (6.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Akutagawa 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 Akutagawa surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander70.0% · 84
- Two or more races15.8% · 19
- White6.7% · 8
- Hispanic or Latino5.8% · 7
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Akutagawa
Akutagawa 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
#135,593
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 124
-26 bearers (-17.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 26,265 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
-4 bearers (-3.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,456 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #109,328 | 150 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #135,593 | 124 | 0.04 | -26 bearers (-17.3%) | Down 26,265 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | -4 bearers (-3.2%) | Down 6,456 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 Akutagawa 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 | #135,593 | #142,049 | -4.8% |
| Count | 124 | 120 | -3.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Akutagawa bearers went from 124 to 120 (-3.2% change). The surname moved down 6,456 positions in the national ranking, going from #135,593 to #142,049.
FAQ
Akutagawa surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Akutagawa?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Akutagawa. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Akutagawa?
Akutagawa ranks #142,049 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 120 people with the surname Akutagawa. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), 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 Akutagawa.
Has Akutagawa become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Akutagawa went from 124 recorded bearers to 120. That is a decrease of 4 (-3.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #135,593 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Akutagawa?
Among Census respondents with the surname Akutagawa, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 70.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (15.8%) and White (6.7%). 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 Akutagawa in the 2020 Census, accounting for 70.0% (84 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Akutagawa appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (70.0%), Two or More Races (15.8%), White (6.7%). 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 Akutagawa (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 Akutagawa mean?
A Japanese surname meaning "autumn river," likely 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 Akutagawa (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 Akutagawa?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.