2010
#145,220
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Katsuda
A Japanese surname possibly derived from a placename or occupational term.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Katsuda. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Katsuda 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
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Katsuda in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Katsuda, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 56.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (19.8%) and White (11.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Katsuda
The surname KATSUDA is believed to have originated in Japan, likely during the Kamakura period, which lasted from 1185 to 1333. It is thought to have derived from a place name, as many Japanese surnames did during this time.
One possible origin of the name KATSUDA is that it may have been derived from the Japanese word "katsu," which means "to win" or "to conquer," combined with the word "da," which can refer to a rice field or paddy. This could suggest that the name may have been associated with a successful or prosperous farming community.
Another theory is that KATSUDA may have originated from a specific location, such as a village or a region, where the name was commonly used. Unfortunately, detailed records from that period are scarce, making it difficult to pinpoint the exact origin of the name with certainty.
The earliest known recorded instance of the surname KATSUDA dates back to the 16th century, when it appeared in a document from the Muromachi period (1336-1573). This document, which has been preserved in the archives of a local shrine, mentions a samurai warrior named Katsuda Nobuyuki, who lived during the Sengoku period (1467-1603).
During the Edo period (1603-1868), the name KATSUDA gained more prominence, and several individuals with this surname left their mark on history. One notable figure was Katsuda Masayuki (1616-1689), a skilled swordsmith who contributed to the development of Japanese sword-making techniques.
In the 19th century, Katsuda Hisataka (1833-1907) was a prominent educator and scholar who played a significant role in promoting Western-style education in Japan during the Meiji Restoration period.
Another notable individual with the surname KATSUDA was Katsuda Naohiko (1914-1992), a celebrated author and poet who was recognized for his contributions to modern Japanese literature. His works often explored themes of identity, tradition, and the rapidly changing social landscape of post-war Japan.
Throughout its history, the surname KATSUDA has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, scholars, warriors, and artisans, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments associated with this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Katsuda
Among Census respondents with the surname Katsuda, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 56.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (19.8%) and White (11.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Katsuda 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 Katsuda surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander56.6% · 60
- Two or more races19.8% · 21
- White11.3% · 12
- Hispanic or Latino8.5% · 9
- Black or African American2.8% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Katsuda
Katsuda appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-8 bearers (-7.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,119 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #145,220 | 114 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | -8 bearers (-7.0%) | Down 7,119 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 Katsuda 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 | #145,220 | #152,339 | -4.9% |
| Count | 114 | 106 | -7.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Katsuda bearers went from 114 to 106 (-7.0% change). The surname moved down 7,119 positions in the national ranking, going from #145,220 to #152,339.
FAQ
Katsuda surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Katsuda?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Katsuda. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Katsuda?
Katsuda ranks #152,339 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 106 people with the surname Katsuda. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), 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 Katsuda.
Has Katsuda become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Katsuda went from 114 recorded bearers to 106. That is a decrease of 8 (-7.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #145,220 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Katsuda?
Among Census respondents with the surname Katsuda, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 56.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (19.8%) and White (11.3%). 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 Katsuda in the 2020 Census, accounting for 56.6% (60 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Katsuda appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (56.6%), Two or More Races (19.8%), White (11.3%). 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 Katsuda (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 Katsuda mean?
A Japanese surname possibly derived from a placename or occupational term. 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 Katsuda (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 many people have the last name Katsuda?
See how many people are called Katsuda on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.