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

Ennin, 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 Ennin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ennin in America

Ennin is the 139228th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ennin surname appeared 120 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 Ennin.

The history of the last name Ennin

The surname ENNIN is believed to have originated in Japan, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 8th century CE. It is thought to be derived from the Japanese word "en," which means "circle" or "ring," and "nin," meaning "person." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a person who lived or worked near a circular enclosure or settlement.

During the Heian period (794-1185 CE), the name ENNIN appeared in several historical records, such as the Shoku Nihongi, a chronicle of Japanese history compiled in the 9th century. One notable individual bearing this name was Ennin (794-864 CE), a Buddhist monk and scholar who traveled extensively throughout Asia, including China and India.

In the 12th century, a variant spelling of the name, "Enni," was found in the Heike Monogatari, a historical tale depicting the struggle between the Taira and Minamoto clans. This work mentions an individual named Enni no Kiyohira, a samurai and warrior who played a significant role in the Genpei War.

The ENNIN surname also appears to have been associated with certain geographic locations in Japan, such as the village of Ennin-cho in the Gifu Prefecture. This suggests that some families may have adopted the name based on their place of origin or residence.

Notable individuals with the surname ENNIN throughout history include:

1. Ennin (794-864 CE), the aforementioned Buddhist monk and scholar known for his extensive travels and writings.
2. Ennin no Kiyohira (12th century), the samurai and warrior mentioned in the Heike Monogatari.
3. Ennin Jikaku (1632-1704), a Buddhist monk and calligrapher during the Edo period.
4. Ennin Ryoshu (1791-1854), a scholar and poet of the late Edo period.
5. Ennin Toshio (1891-1975), a renowned painter and printmaker of the 20th century.

While the surname ENNIN is not among the most common in Japan today, its historical significance and connections to notable figures throughout Japanese history make it a fascinating subject for further study and exploration.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ennin

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

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 Ennin 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.

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

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

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