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

Hamai, 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 Hamai surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hamai in America

Hamai is the 98099th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hamai surname appeared 185 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 Hamai.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hamai 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 Hamai

The surname HAMAI originates from Japan and can be traced back to the late 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Japanese word "hamai," which means "to worship" or "to honor." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to individuals who worked in religious or spiritual roles.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the HAMAI surname can be found in the Edo period (1603-1868) records of the Tokugawa shogunate. These records mention a nobleman named Hamai Nobuyuki, who served as a samurai warrior and advisor to the shogun in the early 17th century.

During the Meiji Restoration (1868-1912), the HAMAI name gained prominence with Hamai Kenichi, a prominent scholar and educator. Kenichi was born in 1845 and played a significant role in modernizing Japan's education system, establishing several prestigious schools and advocating for Western-style teaching methods.

In the 20th century, the HAMAI surname was carried by notable figures such as Hamai Mitsue (1888-1975), a respected painter and one of the pioneers of the Nihonga (Japanese-style painting) movement. Mitsue's works were widely exhibited and celebrated for their traditional yet innovative approach.

Another prominent individual with the HAMAI surname was Hamai Shinji (1912-1978), a renowned playwright and screenwriter. Shinji's works explored contemporary social issues and were widely acclaimed for their depth and poignancy. Several of his plays were adapted for the screen, cementing his legacy in Japanese cinema.

The HAMAI surname has also been associated with various place names and locations within Japan. For instance, the village of Hamai-mura in Shizuoka Prefecture is believed to have derived its name from the HAMAI family, who may have been influential landowners or residents in the area historically.

While the HAMAI surname has its roots in Japan, it has also been adopted by individuals of Japanese descent residing in other countries, such as the United States, Brazil, and Peru, where significant Japanese immigrant communities have existed for generations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hamai

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

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

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

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