2000
#12,377
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,302
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.85
Rare Last name
Fujii
A Japanese surname meaning "wisteria well", referring to a well where wisteria grows.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,334 Americans carry the last name Fujii. That puts it at #14,165 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.68 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 146,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fujii 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
2.3K
1 in 146,853
Census rank
#14,165
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,035 bearers of the surname Fujii in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.68 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14165th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fujii, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 78.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.6%) and White (6.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fujii
The surname "FUJII" is of Japanese origin and has been around for several centuries. It is believed to have originated from the Fuji region, which is famous for the iconic Mount Fuji, the highest mountain in Japan. The name is derived from the Japanese word "fuji," meaning "wisteria" or "wisteria meadow," which is a type of flowering plant native to parts of Asia.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Fujii can be found in the Azuma Kagami, a historical text compiled in the late 13th century, which documents the events and people of the Kamakura period (1185-1333) in Japan. This text mentions several individuals with the surname Fujii, indicating the name's presence during that era.
During the Muromachi period (1336-1573), the Fujii name appeared in various historical records and documents. One notable individual was Fujii Sadazane, a samurai who served under the Imagawa clan in the 16th century. He played a significant role in the battles between the Imagawa and Tokugawa clans during the Sengoku period (1467-1615).
In the Edo period (1603-1868), the Fujii family gained prominence as influential merchants and landowners in various regions of Japan. One notable figure from this time was Fujii Kiyosumi (1691-1757), a wealthy merchant and philanthropist from the city of Osaka. He is known for his contributions to the development of the city and for establishing several educational institutions.
The Meiji era (1868-1912) saw the rise of several prominent figures with the Fujii surname, including Fujii Masamoto (1836-1912), a successful businessman and industrialist who played a significant role in the modernization of Japan's economy. Another notable individual was Fujii Kanjiro (1866-1923), a politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and represented Japan at various international conferences.
During the 20th century, several individuals with the Fujii surname made significant contributions to various fields. For example, Fujii Hirohide (1911-1998) was a renowned artist and sculptor known for his modern interpretations of traditional Japanese art forms. Fujii Masahiro (1925-2011) was a celebrated writer and novelist whose works explored themes of cultural identity and societal changes in post-war Japan.
Throughout its history, the Fujii surname has been associated with various regions and localities within Japan, often reflecting the geographic origins of different family lines. Some of these areas include Shizuoka Prefecture, where Mount Fuji is located, as well as parts of the Kanto and Chubu regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fujii
Among Census respondents with the surname Fujii, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 78.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.6%) and White (6.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Fujii 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 Fujii surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander78.5% · 1,598
- Two or more races10.6% · 215
- White6.5% · 133
- Hispanic or Latino4.4% · 89
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fujii
Fujii 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
#14,139
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,125
-177 bearers (-7.7%)
Per 100,000 0.72
Rank movement Down 1,762 places
2020
#14,165
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,035
-90 bearers (-4.2%)
Per 100,000 0.68
Rank movement Down 26 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,377 | 2,302 | 0.85 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,139 | 2,125 | 0.72 | -177 bearers (-7.7%) | Down 1,762 places |
| 2020 | #14,165 | 2,035 | 0.68 | -90 bearers (-4.2%) | Down 26 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 Fujii 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 | #14,139 | #14,165 | -0.2% |
| Count | 2,125 | 2,035 | -4.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.72 | 0.68 | -5.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fujii bearers went from 2,125 to 2,035 (-4.2% change). The surname moved down 26 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,139 to #14,165.
FAQ
Fujii surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fujii?
Name Census estimates that about 2,334 living Americans carry the surname Fujii. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 146,853 residents.
How common is Fujii?
Fujii ranks #14,165 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.68 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,035 people with the surname Fujii. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,334), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.68 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.68 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Fujii.
Has Fujii become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fujii went from 2,125 recorded bearers to 2,035. That is a decrease of 90 (-4.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #14,139 to #14,165.
What does the Census say about the background of Fujii?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fujii, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 78.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.6%) and White (6.5%). 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 Fujii in the 2020 Census, accounting for 78.5% (1,598 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fujii appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (78.5%), Two or More Races (10.6%), White (6.5%). 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 Fujii (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 Fujii mean?
A Japanese surname meaning "wisteria well", referring to a well where wisteria grows. 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 Fujii (0.68 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 are called Fujii?
Find out how many people are called Fujii on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.