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

Arai, 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 Arai surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Arai in America

Arai is the 28967th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Arai surname appeared 820 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 Arai.

We can also compare 2010 data for Arai 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 Arai

The surname ARAI has its origins in Japan, with the earliest records of the name dating back to the 8th century. It is believed to be derived from the old Japanese word "ara," which means "rough" or "rugged," often referring to a person's physical appearance or demeanor.

During the feudal period in Japan, the ARAI surname was commonly found among samurai families and warriors, suggesting a connection to strength and resilience. One of the earliest documented references to the name can be found in the Shoku Nihongi, an imperial chronicle from the 8th century, where it mentions an individual named ARAI no Yukihira.

In the 12th century, the ARAI clan played a significant role in the Genpei War, a conflict between the Minamoto and Taira clans for control of Japan. ARAI Tokiyuki (1148-1237) was a prominent samurai who fought alongside the Minamoto clan and later served as a trusted advisor to the first Kamakura shogun, Minamoto no Yoritomo.

The ARAI surname was also associated with several notable figures in Japanese history, such as ARAI Hakuseki (1657-1725), a influential Confucian scholar and reformer during the Edo period, and ARAI Ikunosuke (1836-1909), a prominent educator and founder of the prestigious Gakushuin School in Tokyo.

Another notable bearer of the ARAI surname was ARAI Ryōkan (1781-1844), a renowned Zen Buddhist monk and poet who is celebrated for his simple lifestyle and profound writings. His poems and calligraphic works are still widely admired and studied today.

The name ARAI has also been linked to various place names in Japan, such as Arai Village in Niigata Prefecture and Arai Town in Shizuoka Prefecture, further reinforcing its deep-rooted connection to the country's history and geography.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Arai

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

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

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

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