2000
#7,814
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,925
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.45
Rare Last name
Higa
A Japanese surname meaning "comparison" or referring to an area of higher elevation, such as a hill.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,074 Americans carry the last name Higa. That puts it at #8,851 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.19 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 84,132 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Higa 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
4.1K
1 in 84,132
Census rank
#8,851
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,553 bearers of the surname Higa in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.19 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8851st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Higa, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 72.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (12.7%) and Hispanic (8.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Higa
The surname "HIGA" is believed to have originated from the Okinawa Prefecture of Japan, where it is considered a relatively common family name. This region, comprising the southernmost islands of the Japanese archipelago, has a distinct cultural and linguistic heritage that contributes to the uniqueness of many of its surnames.
The name "HIGA" is thought to derive from the Okinawan language, though its precise etymology is uncertain. Some scholars suggest it may have roots in words related to topographical features or occupations, as is often the case with Japanese surnames. Variations in spelling, such as "HEEGA" or "HIIGA," can be found in historical records, reflecting the fluidity of written forms before standardization.
One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the "Omoro Soshi," a collection of Okinawan poetry and songs dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries. This literary work provides valuable insights into the cultural traditions and language of the region during that time period, and the inclusion of the surname "HIGA" suggests its established presence among Okinawan families.
In the 19th century, several notable individuals with the "HIGA" surname emerged. Higa Shunsoku (1822-1859) was a prominent Okinawan scholar and philosopher who made significant contributions to the study of traditional Okinawan culture and intellectual thought. Higa Tatsuo (1856-1925), on the other hand, was a revered educator and reformer who played a pivotal role in modernizing Okinawa's educational system.
As Okinawan society underwent changes and assimilated into the broader Japanese culture, the "HIGA" surname gained recognition beyond its regional origins. One prominent figure was Higa Shunjo (1916-1997), a renowned Buddhist philosopher and scholar who helped bridge the gap between traditional Okinawan spirituality and modern philosophical discourse.
In the realm of sports, Higa Kazunori (born 1968) has made a name for himself as a professional baseball player, having played for several teams in the Nippon Professional Baseball league over the course of his career.
While the surname "HIGA" may have humble regional beginnings, its presence in various fields and its perseverance through historical eras have solidified its place as a distinctive Japanese surname with deep Okinawan roots.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Higa
Among Census respondents with the surname Higa, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 72.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (12.7%) and Hispanic (8.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Higa 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 Higa surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander72.8% · 2,587
- Two or more races12.7% · 453
- Hispanic or Latino8.6% · 307
- White5.2% · 186
- Black or African American0.5% · 16
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Higa
Higa appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#8,398
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,940
+15 bearers (+0.4%)
Per 100,000 1.34
Rank movement Down 584 places
2020
#8,851
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,553
-387 bearers (-9.8%)
Per 100,000 1.19
Rank movement Down 453 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,814 | 3,925 | 1.45 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #8,398 | 3,940 | 1.34 | +15 bearers (+0.4%) | Down 584 places |
| 2020 | #8,851 | 3,553 | 1.19 | -387 bearers (-9.8%) | Down 453 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 Higa 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 | #8,398 | #8,851 | -5.4% |
| Count | 3,940 | 3,553 | -9.8% |
| Per 100K | 1.34 | 1.19 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Higa bearers went from 3,940 to 3,553 (-9.8% change). The surname moved down 453 positions in the national ranking, going from #8,398 to #8,851.
FAQ
Higa surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Higa?
Name Census estimates that about 4,074 living Americans carry the surname Higa. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 84,132 residents.
How common is Higa?
Higa ranks #8,851 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.19 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,553 people with the surname Higa. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,074), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.19 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.19 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Higa.
Has Higa become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Higa went from 3,940 recorded bearers to 3,553. That is a decrease of 387 (-9.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #8,398 to #8,851.
What does the Census say about the background of Higa?
Among Census respondents with the surname Higa, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 72.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (12.7%) and Hispanic (8.6%). 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 Higa in the 2020 Census, accounting for 72.8% (2,587 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Higa appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (72.8%), Two or More Races (12.7%), Hispanic (8.6%). 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 Higa (2000, 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 Higa mean?
A Japanese surname meaning "comparison" or referring to an area of higher elevation, such as a hill. 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 Higa (1.19 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 common is the surname Higa?
Want to know how many people are called Higa? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.