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

Furukawa, 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 Furukawa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Furukawa in America

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

The Furukawa 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 Furukawa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Furukawa 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 Furukawa

The surname Furukawa originates from Japan and dates back several centuries. It is believed to be derived from the Japanese word "furukawa," which means "old river" or "ancient river." This suggests that the name may have been associated with families living near long-standing rivers or waterways.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Furukawa name can be found in the Kamakura period (1185-1333 CE) in the region of present-day Kyoto. During this time, the Furukawa family was known for their involvement in the silk trade and textile industry.

In the Edo period (1603-1868 CE), the Furukawa name gained prominence with the rise of the Furukawa clan, a prominent samurai family based in the Echigo Province (now Niigata Prefecture). The clan was closely associated with the Tokugawa shogunate and held significant influence in the region.

One notable figure from this era was Furukawa Koshoken (1549-1611), a famous samurai and military strategist who served under Tokugawa Ieyasu. He was renowned for his bravery and tactical prowess during the Sengoku period (1467-1615 CE).

In the Meiji era (1868-1912 CE), the Furukawa family became influential in the industrialization of Japan. Furukawa Ichibei (1835-1909) founded the Furukawa Mining Company, which played a crucial role in the development of Japan's mining industry and the extraction of copper and other minerals.

Another noteworthy figure was Furukawa Toranosuke (1835-1914), a prominent businessman and entrepreneur who established the Furukawa Electric Company, which contributed significantly to the growth of Japan's electrical and telecommunications industries.

During the 20th century, the Furukawa name continued to be associated with successful individuals in various fields. Furukawa Takenoshin (1923-2008) was a renowned Japanese author and literary critic, known for his works exploring themes of modernity and cultural identity.

Furukawa Masao (1911-1999) was a highly respected diplomat and statesman who served as the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and played a crucial role in strengthening diplomatic relations between the two countries.

These are just a few examples of the historical significance and prominence of the Furukawa surname in Japan, spanning various eras and fields of influence.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Furukawa

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

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

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

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