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

Harada, 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 Harada surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Harada in America

Harada is the 14656th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Harada surname appeared 2,030 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 Harada.

We can also compare 2010 data for Harada 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 Harada

The surname Harada originates from Japan and can be traced back to the 8th century. The name is derived from the Japanese words "hara" meaning "field" or "plain" and "da" meaning "rice paddy." It is believed that the name was initially given to people who lived and worked in rice fields or fertile plains.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Harada name dates back to the late 12th century in the Azuma Kagami, a historical record of the Kamakura period. This document references a samurai named Harada no Chikatada, who served under the Minamoto clan during the Genpei War (1180-1185).

In the 16th century, the Harada family held significant influence and power in the Kaga Domain (present-day Ishikawa Prefecture). Harada Munetaka (1516-1590) was a prominent daimyo (feudal lord) who played a key role in the establishment of the Kaga Domain.

During the Edo period (1603-1868), the Harada name appeared in various historical records, including the Ōkagami (The Great Mirror), a compilation of biographies of notable samurai families. One notable figure from this time was Harada Naoyuki (1616-1663), a skilled poet and calligrapher.

In more modern times, Harada Jiro (1875-1926) was a renowned botanist and professor at the University of Tokyo, known for his contributions to the study of plant taxonomy and flora of Japan.

Another notable individual with the Harada surname was Harada Masashi (1887-1962), a Japanese diplomat and ambassador to the United States during World War II. He played a crucial role in negotiating the terms of Japan's surrender in 1945.

More recently, Harada Yoshio (1920-2013) was a celebrated Japanese photographer, best known for his poignant images of post-war Japan and his innovative use of light and shadow.

While the Harada name has its origins in Japan, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. However, its deep roots and historical significance remain firmly tied to Japanese culture and tradition.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Harada

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

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

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

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