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

Goto, 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 Goto surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Goto in America

Goto is the 9803rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Goto surname appeared 3,302 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Goto.

We can also compare 2010 data for Goto 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 Goto

The surname "GOTO" is of Japanese origin and can be traced back to the 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Japanese word "goto," which means "five virtues," referring to the five cardinal virtues of Confucianism: benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and fidelity.

The name was initially associated with samurai families and nobles who embraced these virtues. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Taiheiki, a 14th-century Japanese historical narrative, where a samurai warrior named Goto Matabei is mentioned for his bravery and loyalty.

In the Kamakura period (1185-1333), the Goto clan was a prominent family in the Shizuoka Prefecture, known for their skilled swordsmanship and military prowess. The name is also linked to the historic town of Goto, located in present-day Wakayama Prefecture, which may have served as a source for the surname.

One of the notable figures bearing the Goto surname was Goto Shimpei (1857-1924), a Japanese statesman and diplomat who played a crucial role in the modernization of Japan during the Meiji era. He served as the Minister of Home Affairs and was instrumental in establishing the Bank of Japan.

Another prominent individual was Goto Shinpei (1857-1924), a Japanese naval officer and statesman who served as the Chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff and contributed significantly to the development of Japan's naval power.

In the field of literature, Goto Seikichi (1886-1960) was a renowned Japanese poet and novelist known for his contributions to the Showa-era literary scene. His works explored themes of existentialism and the human condition, earning him critical acclaim.

The Goto surname has also been associated with various place names throughout Japan, such as Goto-cho (village) in Shimane Prefecture, Goto-shi (city) in Nagasaki Prefecture, and Goto-jima (island) in the East China Sea.

While the surname Goto has its roots in Japan, it has also been adopted by individuals of Japanese descent in other parts of the world, reflecting the global diaspora of Japanese communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Goto

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

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

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

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