2000
#126,400
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 125
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Hisamoto
A Japanese surname meaning "everlasting source".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Hisamoto. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hisamoto 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Hisamoto in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hisamoto, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 68.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (17.8%) and White (9.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hisamoto
The surname HISAMOTO is of Japanese origin, tracing its roots back to the early Edo period of the 17th century. It is believed to have originated in the Tohoku region of northern Honshu, primarily in the areas surrounding present-day Aomori and Iwate prefectures.
HISAMOTO is a compound name, potentially derived from the Japanese words "hisa," meaning "long-lasting" or "enduring," and "moto," which can translate to "origin" or "source." This suggests the name may have been given to individuals or families who demonstrated resilience, perseverance, or had deep-rooted ties to a particular location.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the HISAMOTO name can be found in the "Kokuji-cho," a historical register of samurai families compiled during the Edo period. This document lists several HISAMOTO households serving as retainers to various daimyo lords in the Tohoku region.
In the late 18th century, a notable figure named HISAMOTO Masahiro (1736-1814) gained prominence as a skilled swordsmith and blade polisher in the Akita domain. His works were highly prized by samurai and daimyo alike, and his legacy contributed to the prestige of the HISAMOTO name.
Another prominent individual was HISAMOTO Katsuyoshi (1820-1893), a scholar and educator who played a pivotal role in the establishment of modern education systems during the Meiji Restoration. He served as the principal of the prestigious Shoheiko school in Tokyo and was instrumental in introducing Western-style teaching methods to Japan.
During the Edo period, the HISAMOTO surname was also associated with several prominent Buddhist temples and monasteries in the Tohoku region. One such example is the HISAMOTO family that served as hereditary caretakers of the Hiraizumi Chusonji temple complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its exquisite architecture and rich cultural heritage.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the HISAMOTO name gained further recognition through the achievements of individuals like HISAMOTO Toshiko (1885-1964), a pioneering female educator and advocate for women's rights. She founded several schools and organizations dedicated to promoting education and empowerment for women in Japan.
Another notable figure was HISAMOTO Shunzo (1901-1972), a renowned artist and calligrapher who played a significant role in preserving and promoting traditional Japanese art forms. His works were exhibited both nationally and internationally, earning him widespread acclaim and recognition.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hisamoto
Among Census respondents with the surname Hisamoto, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 68.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (17.8%) and White (9.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Hisamoto 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 Hisamoto surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander68.2% · 73
- Two or more races17.8% · 19
- White9.3% · 10
- Hispanic or Latino4.7% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hisamoto
Hisamoto 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
#123,064
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 140
+15 bearers (+12.0%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 3,336 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-33 bearers (-23.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 28,575 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #126,400 | 125 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #123,064 | 140 | 0.05 | +15 bearers (+12.0%) | Up 3,336 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -33 bearers (-23.6%) | Down 28,575 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 Hisamoto 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 | #123,064 | #151,639 | -23.2% |
| Count | 140 | 107 | -23.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -28.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hisamoto bearers went from 140 to 107 (-23.6% change). The surname moved down 28,575 positions in the national ranking, going from #123,064 to #151,639.
FAQ
Hisamoto surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hisamoto?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Hisamoto. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Hisamoto?
Hisamoto ranks #151,639 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 107 people with the surname Hisamoto. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Hisamoto.
Has Hisamoto become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hisamoto went from 140 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 33 (-23.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #123,064 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Hisamoto?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hisamoto, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 68.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (17.8%) and White (9.3%). 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 Hisamoto in the 2020 Census, accounting for 68.2% (73 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hisamoto appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (68.2%), Two or More Races (17.8%), White (9.3%). 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 Hisamoto (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 Hisamoto mean?
A Japanese surname meaning "everlasting source". 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 Hisamoto (0.04 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 Americans have the surname Hisamoto?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.