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

Kaneshiro, 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 Kaneshiro surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kaneshiro in America

Kaneshiro is the 12732nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kaneshiro surname appeared 2,424 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Kaneshiro.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kaneshiro 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 Kaneshiro

The surname Kaneshiro is of Japanese origin, tracing its roots back to the Okinawa Prefecture in southern Japan. The name likely emerged during the Edo period, which spanned from 1603 to 1868.

Kaneshiro is believed to be derived from the combination of two Japanese words: "kane," meaning metal or money, and "shiro," which translates to castle or fortress. This suggests that the name may have originally been associated with individuals who lived or worked in a castle or fortified area related to metalworking or the handling of currency.

One of the earliest documented instances of the Kaneshiro surname can be found in the historical records of the Ryukyu Kingdom, an independent monarchy that ruled over the Okinawa Islands during the 15th to 19th centuries. These records mention a prominent Kaneshiro family that held influential positions within the kingdom's administration.

In the late 19th century, a notable figure bearing the Kaneshiro name was Kaneshiro Noboru (1858-1919), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's education in Okinawa. He established the first girls' school in the region and played a pivotal role in promoting gender equality in education.

Another historical figure with this surname was Kaneshiro Kenji (1890-1975), a renowned Okinawan poet and author. His works, written in both Japanese and the Okinawan language, explored themes of identity, tradition, and the unique cultural heritage of the Okinawa Islands.

During the early 20th century, Kaneshiro Takeyuki (1903-1968) gained recognition as a skilled sculptor and woodcarver from Okinawa. His intricate carvings, often depicting traditional Okinawan motifs and scenes, are now highly regarded as important examples of the region's artistic heritage.

In more recent times, the Kaneshiro surname has been carried by notable individuals like Kaneshiro Takeshi (born 1973), a Japanese actor and singer who has appeared in numerous popular films and television series, both in Japan and internationally.

While the Kaneshiro surname originated in Okinawa, it has since spread to other parts of Japan and beyond, as individuals with this name have migrated and established families in various regions over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kaneshiro

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

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

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

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