2000
#118,236
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 136
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Kajiyama
A Japanese surname with geographical meaning, possibly derived from a place name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Kajiyama. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kajiyama 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
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Kajiyama in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kajiyama, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 70.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (13.3%) and White (11.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kajiyama
The surname Kajiyama originates from Japan and dates back several centuries. It is believed to have derived from a combination of the Japanese words "kaji" meaning "blacksmith" and "yama" meaning "mountain," potentially indicating that the name's earliest bearers lived or worked near a mountain, perhaps in a blacksmith's trade.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Kajiyama name can be found in historical documents from the Edo period (1603-1867) in Japan. During this time, the Kajiyama family was known to have resided in the Kyoto region, where they may have been involved in metalworking or other artisan trades.
In the late 17th century, a notable Kajiyama was Kajiyama Tomohiro (1645-1718), a skilled swordsmith who was renowned for his craftsmanship and contributions to the art of Japanese sword-making. His works were highly sought after by samurai and nobility alike.
Another significant figure bearing the Kajiyama name was Kajiyama Masaru (1781-1854), a scholar and poet who authored several influential works on classical Japanese literature and philosophy. His writings were widely studied and celebrated during his lifetime.
During the Meiji Restoration in the late 19th century, Kajiyama Yosuke (1832-1901) was a prominent politician and advocate for modernization. He played a crucial role in the establishment of Japan's first modern legal system and served as a member of the Genroin, an advisory council to the Emperor.
In the 20th century, Kajiyama Toshiki (1919-2004) gained recognition as a pioneering architect and urban planner. He was instrumental in the design and development of several iconic buildings and infrastructure projects in post-war Japan, leaving a lasting impact on the country's architectural landscape.
Another notable figure was Kajiyama Hiroshi (1925-2008), a renowned artist and calligrapher whose works were celebrated for their unique blend of traditional Japanese aesthetics and modern sensibilities. His calligraphic pieces were displayed in prestigious exhibitions and collections worldwide.
While the Kajiyama surname has its roots in Japan, it has since spread to various parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities, carrying with it a rich historical legacy and cultural significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kajiyama
Among Census respondents with the surname Kajiyama, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 70.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (13.3%) and White (11.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Kajiyama 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 Kajiyama surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander70.5% · 74
- Two or more races13.3% · 14
- White11.4% · 12
- Hispanic or Latino4.8% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kajiyama
Kajiyama 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
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
-26 bearers (-19.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 31,159 places
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-5 bearers (-4.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,594 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #118,236 | 136 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | -26 bearers (-19.1%) | Down 31,159 places |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-4.5%) | Down 3,594 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 Kajiyama 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 | #149,395 | #152,989 | -2.4% |
| Count | 110 | 105 | -4.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kajiyama bearers went from 110 to 105 (-4.5% change). The surname moved down 3,594 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #152,989.
FAQ
Kajiyama surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kajiyama?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Kajiyama. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Kajiyama?
Kajiyama ranks #152,989 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 105 people with the surname Kajiyama. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), 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 Kajiyama.
Has Kajiyama become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kajiyama went from 110 recorded bearers to 105. That is a decrease of 5 (-4.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #149,395 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Kajiyama?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kajiyama, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 70.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (13.3%) and White (11.4%). 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 Kajiyama in the 2020 Census, accounting for 70.5% (74 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kajiyama appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (70.5%), Two or More Races (13.3%), White (11.4%). 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 Kajiyama (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 Kajiyama mean?
A Japanese surname with geographical meaning, possibly derived from a place name. 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 Kajiyama (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 common is the surname Kajiyama?
If you just want to know how common the surname Kajiyama is, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.