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

Kameoka, 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 Kameoka surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kameoka in America

Kameoka is the 152628th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kameoka surname appeared 107 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 Kameoka.

The history of the last name Kameoka

The surname Kameoka is of Japanese origin, tracing its roots back to the 12th century. It is believed to have originated from the geographical area of Kameoka, a city located in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. The name itself is a combination of two Japanese words, "kame" meaning turtle and "oka" meaning hill or small mountain, potentially referring to a landscape feature in the area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Kameoka surname can be found in the Azuma Kagami, a historical chronicle compiled during the Kamakura period (1185-1333). This work mentions a samurai warrior named Kameoka Nobumitsu, who served under the famous shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo in the late 12th century.

During the Muromachi period (1336-1573), the Kameoka clan emerged as a prominent family of samurai warriors and land stewards in the Kyoto region. They were known for their loyalty and military prowess, serving under various daimyo (feudal lords) throughout the turbulent Sengoku period (1467-1615).

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the Kameoka name was Kameoka Masatoshi (1508-1586), a skilled swordsman and military strategist who fought alongside the legendary warlord Oda Nobunaga. Kameoka Masatoshi played a crucial role in several battles, including the famous siege of Inabayama Castle in 1567.

Another distinguished individual with the Kameoka surname was Kameoka Hikoemon (1698-1773), a renowned merchant and entrepreneur from Kyoto. He established a successful textile business and became a prominent figure in the city's economic and cultural life during the Edo period (1603-1868).

In more recent history, Kameoka Takeshi (1888-1965) was a celebrated author and poet from Kyoto Prefecture. His works, which often explored themes of traditional Japanese culture and the natural world, earned him widespread recognition and numerous literary awards during his lifetime.

It is worth noting that the Kameoka surname is not limited to Japan. There are also historical records of individuals bearing variations of the name in other parts of Asia, such as Korea and China, likely due to cultural exchanges and migration patterns throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kameoka

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

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 Kameoka 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.

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

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

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