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

Kawabata, 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 Kawabata surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kawabata in America

Kawabata is the 48436th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kawabata surname appeared 436 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 Kawabata.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kawabata 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 Kawabata

The surname KAWABATA originates from Japan and dates back several centuries. It is believed to have derived from the Japanese words "kawa" meaning "river" and "bata" meaning "field" or "territory," suggesting that the name may have referred to a person or group living near a river or riverbed.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the KAWABATA surname can be found in the Kamakura period (1185-1333 CE) records, where it appears as a family name of minor nobility in the regions surrounding the ancient capital of Kyoto. During this time, surnames were still relatively fluid, with families often adopting new names based on their occupations, locations, or other distinguishing factors.

In the Muromachi period (1336-1573 CE), the KAWABATA name gained more prominence, with several members of the family holding positions of influence within the imperial court and military ranks. One notable figure was KAWABATA Masatsune (1455-1516), a skilled samurai and strategist who served under the powerful Hosokawa clan.

As the Edo period (1603-1868 CE) ushered in a more centralized governance structure, the KAWABATA surname became more widely dispersed throughout Japan. Records from this time indicate that members of the family could be found in various regions, including the Kanto, Chubu, and Kansai areas.

One of the most famous individuals bearing the KAWABATA name was Yasunari KAWABATA (1899-1972), a celebrated Japanese novelist and literary figure. He was the first Japanese writer to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1968, recognized for his intricate and poetic works that explored the subtleties of human relationships and the transient nature of life. Some of his notable works include "Snow Country," "Thousand Cranes," and "The Old Capital."

Another prominent figure was Kunihiko KAWABATA (1904-1985), a renowned Japanese painter and printmaker known for his bold, abstract compositions and his mastery of various artistic techniques. His works were exhibited internationally and are held in numerous museum collections around the world.

The KAWABATA surname has also been associated with various place names throughout Japan, such as the Kawabata district in Fukuoka Prefecture and the Kawabata River in Kanagawa Prefecture, further reinforcing its connection to geographical features.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kawabata

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!