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

Ishikawa, 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 Ishikawa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ishikawa in America

Ishikawa is the 16833rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ishikawa surname appeared 1,696 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 Ishikawa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ishikawa 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 Ishikawa

The surname Ishikawa is of Japanese origin, originating from the Ishikawa Prefecture located on the main island of Honshu. The name itself translates to "stone river" or "stony brook" in Japanese, likely referring to a geographical feature in the area where the name first emerged.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Ishikawa can be traced back to the late 12th century during the Kamakura period. It is believed that the name was first adopted by samurai warriors and minor nobility from the Ishikawa region. By the 14th century, the name had become more widespread among commoners and merchants as well.

One of the earliest notable figures with the surname Ishikawa was Ishikawa Goemon, a semi-legendary outlaw and Robin Hood-like figure from the late 16th century. He was known for robbing from the wealthy and distributing goods to the poor. Ishikawa Goemon's life and exploits have been the subject of numerous works of literature, theater, and film over the centuries.

In the 17th century, the Ishikawa clan was a prominent samurai family based in the Ishikawa Prefecture. They served as lords and administrators under the Tokugawa shogunate. Ishikawa Jozan (1609-1672) was a renowned poet and scholar during this period who helped establish the Ishikawa name as one associated with literary and intellectual pursuits.

During the Edo period (1603-1868), the town of Kanazawa in the Ishikawa Prefecture became a center of traditional arts and crafts, including pottery, lacquerware, and gold leaf production. Many artisans and craftsmen from this era likely bore the Ishikawa surname, contributing to the cultural heritage of the region.

In more recent history, Ishikawa Tatsuzō (1905-1985) was a prominent Japanese author and literary critic known for his works exploring the human condition and existential themes. His novel "The Remains of the Day" was later adapted into an acclaimed film by the same name.

Ishikawa Takuboku (1886-1912) was a pioneer of modern Japanese poetry and a notable figure in the late Meiji and early Taisho periods. His poetic works, often characterized by themes of loneliness and social criticism, have had a lasting impact on Japanese literature.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ishikawa

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

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

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

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