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

Kaku, 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 Kaku surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kaku in America

Kaku is the 55962nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kaku surname appeared 366 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 Kaku.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kaku 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 Kaku

The surname KAKU has its origins in Japan, tracing back to the early 8th century. It is believed to be derived from the Japanese word "kaku," which means "angle" or "corner," suggesting that the name may have been associated with individuals who lived or worked near a corner or angle in a particular area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name KAKU can be found in the Shoku Nihongi, an ancient Japanese chronicle completed in 797 AD. This text mentions a samurai named Kaku Tomohiro, who served under the imperial court during the Nara period (710-794 AD).

In the 12th century, the name KAKU appeared in the Heike Monogatari, a renowned Japanese epic that recounts the struggle between the Taira and Minamoto clans. The text mentions a warrior named Kaku Naganori, who fought alongside the Minamoto clan during the Genpei War (1180-1185).

During the Kamakura period (1185-1333), the KAKU surname gained prominence in the Kanto region of Japan. Historical records from this era mention a prominent Buddhist monk named Kaku Kyoyu (1212-1292), who was renowned for his calligraphy skills and influential teachings.

In the Muromachi period (1336-1573), the KAKU name was associated with several notable figures, including Kaku Mitsumasa (1456-1528), a daimyo (feudal lord) who ruled over the Kaku Domain in present-day Yamagata Prefecture.

Another noteworthy individual bearing the KAKU surname was Kaku Bunpei (1699-1769), a renowned scholar and mathematician from the Edo period (1603-1868). He made significant contributions to the field of wasan, traditional Japanese mathematics.

During the Meiji era (1868-1912), the KAKU name was associated with Kaku Mori (1838-1912), a prominent educator and philosopher who played a crucial role in the modernization of Japan's education system.

These examples illustrate the long and rich history of the surname KAKU in Japan, spanning various eras and regions, and encompassing individuals from diverse backgrounds, including samurai, warriors, scholars, and feudal lords.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kaku

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

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

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

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