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

Funakoshi, 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 Funakoshi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Funakoshi in America

Funakoshi is the 88020th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Funakoshi surname appeared 211 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 Funakoshi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Funakoshi 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 Funakoshi

The surname Funakoshi is of Japanese origin, derived from the combination of the words "funa" meaning ship or boat, and "koshi" meaning woods or forest. This suggests that the name likely originated from an area near a forest or woods that was situated close to a port or harbor.

The earliest known record of the Funakoshi name dates back to the late 16th century, appearing in historical documents from the Kyushu region of Japan. During this period, the name was sometimes spelled as "Funagoshi" or "Funanokoshi," reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and written form.

One notable historical figure bearing the Funakoshi surname was Gichin Funakoshi (1868-1957), a renowned Okinawan master of karate who is credited with introducing and popularizing the martial art in mainland Japan. He is often referred to as the "Father of Modern Karate" and is revered for his contributions to the spread and preservation of karate as a traditional Japanese discipline.

Another individual of historical significance was Yasutaka Funakoshi (1912-2002), a prominent Japanese philosopher and academic who served as the president of Kyoto University from 1975 to 1981. His philosophical works focused on the integration of Eastern and Western thought, and he played a pivotal role in promoting cross-cultural understanding and dialogue.

In the realm of literature, Seiichi Funakoshi (1908-1998) was a celebrated Japanese novelist and essayist, known for his poignant depictions of rural life and the struggles of ordinary people. His novel "Fukigen na Kajitsu" (The Ill-Tempered Fruit) is considered a masterpiece of modern Japanese literature.

The Funakoshi name has also been associated with notable figures in the field of sports. Tomoyuki Funakoshi (born 1985) is a professional baseball player who has competed in the Nippon Professional Baseball league, representing teams such as the Yakult Swallows and the Orix Buffaloes.

Another individual worth mentioning is Kazuo Funakoshi (1934-2019), a renowned Japanese artist and calligrapher who was recognized as a Living National Treasure by the Japanese government for his contributions to preserving and advancing the traditional art of calligraphy.

While the Funakoshi surname is most prevalent in Japan, it has also been found in various other parts of the world, likely due to migration and cultural exchange. However, the historical roots and origins of this surname can be traced back to the island nation of Japan, where it has a rich and diverse legacy spanning multiple centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Funakoshi

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

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

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

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