2000
#8,165
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,735
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.38
Rare Last name
Kimura
A Japanese surname meaning "tree village," referring to someone who lived near or worked in a wooded area.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,127 Americans carry the last name Kimura. That puts it at #8,749 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.20 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 83,052 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kimura 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
4.1K
1 in 83,052
Census rank
#8,749
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,599 bearers of the surname Kimura in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.20 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8749th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kimura, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 76.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (11.6%) and White (7.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kimura
Among Census respondents with the surname Kimura, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 76.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (11.6%) and White (7.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Kimura 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 Kimura surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander76.3% · 2,747
- Two or more races11.6% · 416
- White7.6% · 274
- Hispanic or Latino4.3% · 153
- Black or African American0.2% · 8
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kimura
Kimura appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#8,164
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,059
+324 bearers (+8.7%)
Per 100,000 1.38
Rank movement Up 1 places
2020
#8,749
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,599
-460 bearers (-11.3%)
Per 100,000 1.20
Rank movement Down 585 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,165 | 3,735 | 1.38 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #8,164 | 4,059 | 1.38 | +324 bearers (+8.7%) | Up 1 places |
| 2020 | #8,749 | 3,599 | 1.20 | -460 bearers (-11.3%) | Down 585 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 Kimura 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 | #8,164 | #8,749 | -7.2% |
| Count | 4,059 | 3,599 | -11.3% |
| Per 100K | 1.38 | 1.20 | -12.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kimura bearers went from 4,059 to 3,599 (-11.3% change). The surname moved down 585 positions in the national ranking, going from #8,164 to #8,749.
FAQ
Kimura surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kimura?
Name Census estimates that about 4,127 living Americans carry the surname Kimura. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 83,052 residents.
How common is Kimura?
Kimura ranks #8,749 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.20 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,599 people with the surname Kimura. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,127), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.2 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.20 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Kimura.
Has Kimura become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kimura went from 4,059 recorded bearers to 3,599. That is a decrease of 460 (-11.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #8,164 to #8,749.
What does the Census say about the background of Kimura?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kimura, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 76.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (11.6%) and White (7.6%). 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 Kimura in the 2020 Census, accounting for 76.3% (2,747 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kimura appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (76.3%), Two or More Races (11.6%), White (7.6%). 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 Kimura (2000, 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 Kimura mean?
A Japanese surname meaning "tree village," referring to someone who lived near or worked in a wooded area. 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 Kimura (1.20 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 common is the surname Kimura?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Kimura is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.