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

Ihara, 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 Ihara surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ihara in America

Ihara is the 73215th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ihara surname appeared 265 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 Ihara.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ihara 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 Ihara

The surname Ihara is of Japanese origin, originating from the Kansai region of western Japan during the Edo period (1603-1868). It is believed to be derived from the Japanese word "ihara," meaning "rock field" or "rocky plain."

This surname is most commonly found in the prefectures of Nara and Osaka, where it has a long and rich history. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the "Shinsen Shojiroku," a genealogical record compiled in the 17th century, which mentions several Ihara families.

In the late 16th century, Ihara Saikaku (1642-1693) was a renowned Japanese poet and writer, known for his pioneering works in the field of ukiyo-zoshi, or "books of the floating world." His masterpiece, "The Life of an Amorous Man," is considered a classic of Japanese literature and provides valuable insights into the culture and society of the Edo period.

Another notable figure bearing the Ihara surname was Ihara Natsuki (1886-1965), a famous Japanese writer and journalist. He was highly regarded for his contributions to the field of children's literature and his efforts in promoting peace and understanding between Japan and other nations.

In the realm of politics, Ihara Tomoyuki (1879-1937) was a prominent figure who served as the Governor of Kyoto Prefecture and later as the Minister of Home Affairs in the Japanese government during the early 20th century.

During the Meiji Restoration, Ihara Saikaku (1838-1895), a samurai from the Satsuma Domain, played a significant role in the overthrow of the Tokugawa Shogunate and the establishment of the modern Japanese state.

The Ihara surname has also been associated with various place names in Japan, such as Ihara-cho, a town in Shizuoka Prefecture, and Ihara-mura, a village in Gifu Prefecture. These place names may have originated from the same root word, reflecting the geographical features of the area.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ihara

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

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

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

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