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

Fujiwara, 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 Fujiwara surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fujiwara in America

Fujiwara is the 24531st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fujiwara surname appeared 1,019 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 Fujiwara.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fujiwara 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 Fujiwara

The surname Fujiwara originated in Japan, and its earliest recorded usage dates back to the 7th century AD. It is believed to be derived from the old Japanese words "fuji," meaning wisteria, and "wara," meaning field or meadow, suggesting that the name may have referred to a place abundant in wisteria fields.

The Fujiwara clan was a powerful aristocratic family that dominated the imperial court and held significant political sway during the Heian period (794-1185 AD) in Japan. They were instrumental in establishing the imperial system and served as regents for many emperors, effectively ruling the country behind the scenes.

One of the earliest recorded references to the Fujiwara name can be found in the Kojiki, an ancient Japanese chronicle dating back to 712 AD. The manuscript mentions several individuals bearing the Fujiwara surname, such as Fujiwara no Kamatari (614-669 AD), who was a powerful courtier and a key figure in establishing the Fujiwara clan's dominance.

The Fujiwara name gained widespread prominence during the Heian period, with several notable figures emerging from the clan. Fujiwara no Michinaga (966-1027 AD) was a prominent courtier and one of the most powerful figures of his time, serving as the de facto ruler of Japan for several decades.

Another influential Fujiwara was Murasaki Shikibu (c. 973 - c. 1014 AD), a renowned writer and author of the world-famous novel "The Tale of Genji," widely considered one of the earliest works of fiction and a masterpiece of Japanese literature.

The Fujiwara name has also been associated with several place names in Japan, such as the former Fujiwara-kyō, the capital city during the Nara period (710-794 AD), and the Fujiwara-no-sato, a village believed to have been the ancestral home of the Fujiwara clan.

Throughout history, the Fujiwara surname has been carried by numerous influential individuals, including Fujiwara no Kaneie (929-990 AD), a renowned scholar and calligrapher, and Fujiwara no Teika (1162-1241 AD), a renowned poet and scholar who played a significant role in the development of Japanese poetry.

While the Fujiwara clan's political power waned after the Kamakura period (1185-1333 AD), their cultural and artistic influence continued to shape Japanese society for centuries, and the Fujiwara name remains a prominent part of Japan's rich historical heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fujiwara

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

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

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

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