2010
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Gushikuma
A surname likely originating from the merger of two Japanese words describing a rural location.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 119 Americans carry the last name Gushikuma. That puts it at #153,590 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,880,289 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gushikuma 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
119
1 in 2,880,289
Census rank
#153,590
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
104
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 104 bearers of the surname Gushikuma in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 153590th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gushikuma, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 83.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (13.5%) and White (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gushikuma
The surname GUSHIKUMA originates from the Okinawan region of Japan, tracing its roots back to the 17th century. It is believed to be derived from the Okinawan words "gushi" meaning "tree bark" and "kuma" meaning "bear," potentially referring to an ancestral occupation or a descriptive nickname.
This surname first appeared in historical records from the Ryukyu Kingdom, an independent kingdom that ruled over the Okinawan islands until its annexation by Japan in the late 19th century. The earliest known mention of the name GUSHIKUMA can be found in the annals of the Ryukyu court scribes, documenting various families and their lineages.
One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the GUSHIKUMA name was Gushikuma Sokan, a skilled woodworker who lived in the village of Naha in the early 18th century. His exceptional craftsmanship in creating intricate wood carvings and furniture earned him a respected reputation throughout the kingdom.
Another notable figure was Gushikuma Tokiko (1825-1892), a renowned herbalist and midwife from the island of Miyako. Her expertise in traditional Okinawan medicine and her compassionate care for women during childbirth made her a revered figure in her community.
In the late 19th century, Gushikuma Choun (1860-1938) played a significant role in the preservation of Okinawan cultural heritage. As a scholar and historian, he meticulously documented the customs, traditions, and oral histories of the Ryukyu Kingdom, ensuring their preservation for future generations.
During the early 20th century, Gushikuma Kenshin (1903-1971) gained recognition as a skilled martial artist and teacher of Okinawan karate. He established his own dojo and trained numerous students, contributing to the spread and preservation of this ancient fighting art.
The GUSHIKUMA surname can also be traced back to the village of Gushikuma, located in the northern region of Okinawa Island. It is possible that some individuals bearing this name may have originated from or resided in this particular village, adopting its name as their family surname.
While the GUSHIKUMA surname may not be as widely known as some other Japanese surnames, it holds a rich history deeply rooted in the cultural traditions and heritage of the Okinawan islands. Its origins and meaning reflect the diverse occupations, skills, and contributions of those who carried this name throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gushikuma
Among Census respondents with the surname Gushikuma, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 83.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (13.5%) and White (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Gushikuma 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 Gushikuma surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander83.7% · 87
- Two or more races13.5% · 14
- White1.9% · 2
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gushikuma
Gushikuma appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#153,590
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 2,454 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #153,590 | 104 | 0.03 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Up 2,454 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 Gushikuma 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 | #156,044 | #153,590 | 1.6% |
| Count | 104 | 104 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gushikuma bearers went from 104 to 104 (+0.0% change). The surname moved up 2,454 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #153,590.
FAQ
Gushikuma surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gushikuma?
Name Census estimates that about 119 living Americans carry the surname Gushikuma. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,880,289 residents.
How common is Gushikuma?
Gushikuma ranks #153,590 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 104 people with the surname Gushikuma. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (119), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Gushikuma.
Has Gushikuma become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gushikuma went from 104 recorded bearers to 104. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #153,590.
What does the Census say about the background of Gushikuma?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gushikuma, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 83.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (13.5%) and White (1.9%). 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 Gushikuma in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.7% (87 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gushikuma appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (83.7%), Two or More Races (13.5%), White (1.9%). 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 Gushikuma (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 Gushikuma mean?
A surname likely originating from the merger of two Japanese words describing a rural location. 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 Gushikuma (0.03 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 share the surname Gushikuma?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.