Kimura last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Kimura

A Japanese surname meaning "tree village," referring to someone who lived near or worked in a wooded area.

Kimura, 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 Kimura surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kimura in America

Kimura is the 8164th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kimura surname appeared 4,059 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 Kimura.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kimura 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 8164 8165 -0.01%
Count 4,059 3,735 8.31%
Proportion per 100k 1.38 1.38 0.00%

The history of the last name Kimura

The surname Kimura originates from Japan and dates back several centuries. It is believed to have derived from the Japanese words "ki" meaning tree or wood, and "mura" meaning village, thus translating to "tree village" or "village of trees." The name was likely used to identify individuals residing in areas known for their dense forestry or woodlands.

During the Edo period (1603-1868) in Japan, the Kimura name was prominent among samurai clans and noble families. One notable figure was Kimura Shigenari (1623-1705), a prominent daimyo (feudal lord) who governed the Akita Domain in northern Japan. His descendants continued to hold influential positions within the region for generations.

Historical records also mention a Kimura Takenori (1624-1696), a renowned Confucian scholar and poet who served as an advisor to the Tokugawa Shogunate. His works on literature and philosophy were widely studied and influential during his time.

In the late 19th century, a Kimura Kumaji (1854-1920) made significant contributions to the field of mathematics, particularly in the study of algebraic equations and number theory. He was a respected educator and served as the president of the Tokyo Imperial University (now the University of Tokyo).

During the Meiji Restoration period (1868-1912), a Kimura Hikonojo (1838-1925) played a pivotal role as a samurai and military commander. He was instrumental in the overthrow of the Tokugawa Shogunate and the establishment of the modern imperial state.

Another notable figure was Kimura Isao (1923-1981), a renowned Japanese novelist and essayist. His works explored themes of identity, cultural traditions, and the complexities of modern life in post-war Japan. He was a recipient of several prestigious literary awards and his novels have been translated into multiple languages.

The Kimura surname has been widely dispersed throughout Japan and can be found in various regions, with some areas historically having higher concentrations of individuals bearing this name. While the specific origins and meanings of surnames can sometimes be obscured by time, the Kimura name stands as a testament to Japan's rich cultural heritage and history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kimura

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

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 Kimura was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 9.16% 372
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 77.75% 3,156
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 9.88% 401
Hispanic Origin 2.96% 120

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 Kimura has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 9.16% 7.28% 22.87%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 77.75% 82.89% -6.40%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 9.88% 6.91% 35.38%
Hispanic 2.96% 2.70% 9.19%

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

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

Reference this page

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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!

"Kimura last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 26, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/kimura-surname-popularity/.

"Kimura last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/kimura-surname-popularity/. Accessed 26 July, 2024

Kimura last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/kimura-surname-popularity/.

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