2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kamata
A Japanese surname possibly derived from the place name Kamata in Tokyo.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Kamata. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kamata 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
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Kamata in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kamata, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 78.5%. The next largest groups are Black (9.1%) and Hispanic (5.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kamata
The surname Kamata has its origins in Japan, with records dating back to the 16th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Japanese word "kamata," which means "iron forge" or "blacksmith." This suggests that the name likely originated from a family or individual involved in the metalworking trade.
One of the earliest known historical references to the name Kamata can be found in the "Kamata-shi," a historical document from the late 16th century that chronicles the activities of a prominent blacksmith family in the Kamata region of present-day Tokyo. This document provides valuable insights into the life and work of the Kamata family during the Edo period.
The Kamata name has also been associated with several notable figures throughout Japanese history. One such individual was Kamata Nobuyuki (1556-1634), a skilled swordsmith who was renowned for his exceptional craftsmanship. His work was highly sought after by samurai warriors and nobility alike.
Another prominent bearer of the Kamata name was Kamata Masahiro (1825-1899), a scholar and educator who played a significant role in the modernization of Japan's education system during the Meiji period. He was instrumental in establishing the Tokyo Imperial University, now known as the University of Tokyo.
In the realm of literature, Kamata Sadayoshi (1870-1945) was a celebrated novelist and poet who gained recognition for his works that explored the complexities of human emotions and relationships. His novels, such as "Chikyu no Uta" (Song of the Earth), remain influential in Japanese literary circles.
Moving into the 20th century, Kamata Toshio (1913-1986) was a renowned architect who was instrumental in the reconstruction and development of post-World War II Japan. His designs, which blended traditional Japanese aesthetics with modern architectural principles, can be seen in numerous buildings across the country.
Lastly, Kamata Hisako (1922-2018) was a prominent figure in the Japanese women's rights movement. As a pioneering feminist and activist, she fought tirelessly for gender equality and played a pivotal role in advancing women's rights in Japan.
While the Kamata surname has its roots in the metalworking trade, it has since been borne by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including scholars, artists, architects, and activists, leaving an indelible mark on Japanese history and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kamata
Among Census respondents with the surname Kamata, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 78.5%. The next largest groups are Black (9.1%) and Hispanic (5.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Kamata 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 Kamata surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander78.5% · 95
- Black or African American9.1% · 11
- Hispanic or Latino5.0% · 6
- White3.3% · 4
- Two or more races3.3% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kamata
Kamata 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
#137,327
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
+17 bearers (+16.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 7,581 places
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
-1 bearers (-0.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,982 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #144,908 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #137,327 | 122 | 0.04 | +17 bearers (+16.2%) | Up 7,581 places |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.8%) | Down 3,982 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 Kamata 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 | #137,327 | #141,309 | -2.9% |
| Count | 122 | 121 | -0.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 1.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kamata bearers went from 122 to 121 (-0.8% change). The surname moved down 3,982 positions in the national ranking, going from #137,327 to #141,309.
FAQ
Kamata surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kamata?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Kamata. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Kamata?
Kamata ranks #141,309 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 121 people with the surname Kamata. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), 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 Kamata.
Has Kamata become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kamata went from 122 recorded bearers to 121. That is a decrease of 1 (-0.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #137,327 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Kamata?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kamata, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 78.5%. The next largest groups are Black (9.1%) and Hispanic (5.0%). 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 Kamata in the 2020 Census, accounting for 78.5% (95 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kamata appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (78.5%), Black (9.1%), Hispanic (5.0%). 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 Kamata (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 Kamata mean?
A Japanese surname possibly derived from the place name Kamata in Tokyo. 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 Kamata (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 Kamata?
If you just want to know how many people are called Kamata, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.