2000
#106,477
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 155
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Izawa
A Japanese surname potentially derived from locational origins or "born in a valley".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 162 Americans carry the last name Izawa. That puts it at #127,013 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,115,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Izawa 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
162
1 in 2,115,768
Census rank
#127,013
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
141
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 141 bearers of the surname Izawa in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 127013th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Izawa, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 82.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.2%) and Two or More Races (6.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Izawa
The surname IZAWA is of Japanese origin, tracing its roots back to the 8th century. It originates from the ancient Japanese word "izawa," which translates to "well spring" or "water source." This suggests that the name likely originated from a family or clan residing near a natural spring or water source in Japan.
In the Heian period (794-1185), the IZAWA name is found in several historical records and documents, indicating its presence among the noble families and samurai clans of the time. One notable reference is in the "Shoku Nihongi," a historical text that chronicles the reigns of Japanese emperors from the late 8th to the late 9th century.
The earliest recorded bearer of the IZAWA surname is Izawa Masanori, a prominent samurai who lived in the late 12th century. He served under the renowned military leader Minamoto no Yoritomo and played a significant role in the establishment of the Kamakura Shogunate.
During the Edo period (1603-1868), the IZAWA name was associated with several influential families, including the Izawa clan of Satsuma Province (present-day Kagoshima Prefecture). One notable figure from this clan was Izawa Yasunobu (1548-1631), a skilled swordsman and military strategist who served under the Shimazu clan.
In the Meiji era (1868-1912), Izawa Shūji (1836-1907) was a prominent educator and philosopher who helped establish the modern Japanese education system. He is widely regarded as one of the founding fathers of modern Japanese thought and played a crucial role in introducing Western ideas to Japan.
Another notable bearer of the IZAWA surname was Izawa Shūji (1851-1917), a prolific Japanese author and poet who was instrumental in promoting the literary movement known as "Shintaishi," which embraced Western poetic styles and forms.
Over the centuries, the IZAWA name has been associated with various locations across Japan, including the towns and villages of Izawa in Yamanashi Prefecture, Izawa in Akita Prefecture, and Izawa in Gifu Prefecture. These place names likely originated from the presence of natural springs or water sources in those areas, reflecting the meaning of the surname itself.
While the IZAWA surname has its origins in Japan, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. However, the detailed history and significance of the name remain deeply rooted in Japanese culture and tradition.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Izawa
Among Census respondents with the surname Izawa, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 82.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.2%) and Two or More Races (6.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Izawa 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 Izawa surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander82.3% · 116
- Hispanic or Latino9.2% · 13
- Two or more races6.4% · 9
- White1.4% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Izawa
Izawa 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
#121,590
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 142
-13 bearers (-8.4%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 15,113 places
2020
#127,013
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 141
-1 bearers (-0.7%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 5,423 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #106,477 | 155 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #121,590 | 142 | 0.05 | -13 bearers (-8.4%) | Down 15,113 places |
| 2020 | #127,013 | 141 | 0.05 | -1 bearers (-0.7%) | Down 5,423 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 Izawa 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 | #121,590 | #127,013 | -4.5% |
| Count | 142 | 141 | -0.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.05 | -5.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Izawa bearers went from 142 to 141 (-0.7% change). The surname moved down 5,423 positions in the national ranking, going from #121,590 to #127,013.
FAQ
Izawa surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Izawa?
Name Census estimates that about 162 living Americans carry the surname Izawa. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,115,768 residents.
How common is Izawa?
Izawa ranks #127,013 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 141 people with the surname Izawa. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (162), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Izawa.
Has Izawa become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Izawa went from 142 recorded bearers to 141. That is a decrease of 1 (-0.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #121,590 to #127,013.
What does the Census say about the background of Izawa?
Among Census respondents with the surname Izawa, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 82.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.2%) and Two or More Races (6.4%). 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 Izawa in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.3% (116 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Izawa appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (82.3%), Hispanic (9.2%), Two or More Races (6.4%). 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 Izawa (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 Izawa mean?
A Japanese surname potentially derived from locational origins or "born in a valley". 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 Izawa (0.05 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 Izawa?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.