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

Arakawa, 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 Arakawa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Arakawa in America

Arakawa is the 24608th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Arakawa surname appeared 1,015 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 Arakawa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Arakawa 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 Arakawa

The surname Arakawa is of Japanese origin, tracing its roots back to the Edo period (1603-1868) in the country's history. The name is believed to have originated from the place name "Arakawa," which refers to a river in the Kanto region of Japan, specifically in what is now Tokyo.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Arakawa can be found in the "Kōshoku Ichidai Otoko" (The Life of an Amorous Man), a literary work written by Ihara Saikaku in 1682. The book mentions an individual with the surname Arakawa, suggesting that the name was in use during the late 17th century.

During the Edo period, the Arakawa surname was particularly prevalent in the Musashi Province, which encompassed parts of present-day Tokyo and Saitama Prefecture. The name may have been adopted by families living near the Arakawa River or those who worked in professions related to the river, such as fishing or transportation.

In the Meiji period (1868-1912), several notable individuals with the surname Arakawa made their mark in various fields. One such person was Arakawa Sakuken (1840-1918), a prominent Buddhist scholar and teacher who played a significant role in reviving and preserving the Shingon Buddhist tradition in Japan.

Another notable figure was Arakawa Toyozo (1894-1985), a Japanese painter and printmaker known for his ukiyo-e woodblock prints depicting traditional Japanese landscapes and scenes. His works are celebrated for their intricate details and vibrant colors, capturing the essence of Japanese culture and heritage.

In the 20th century, the Arakawa surname gained international recognition with the work of Arakawa Shusaku (1936-2010), a Japanese artist and architect who was part of the avant-garde movement. He was known for his conceptual art installations and collaborations with writers, such as Madeline Gins, with whom he developed the concept of "procedural architecture."

Other notable individuals with the surname Arakawa include Arakawa Tsutomu (1913-1986), a Japanese baseball player and manager who played for the Yomiuri Giants and later managed the team, and Arakawa Akira (born 1940), a Japanese author and academic known for his works on Japanese literature and culture.

While the surname Arakawa has its roots in Japanese history and geography, it has since spread to other parts of the world through immigration and cultural exchange, carrying with it a rich legacy and connection to the country's past.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Arakawa

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

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

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

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