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

Kitayama, 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 Kitayama surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kitayama in America

Kitayama is the 110286th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kitayama surname appeared 160 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 Kitayama.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kitayama 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 Kitayama

The surname Kitayama is of Japanese origin, tracing its roots back to the 8th century AD. It is a combination of two words: "kita" meaning north, and "yama" meaning mountain. This suggests that the name originally referred to a location or region situated in the northern mountains of Japan.

During the Heian period (794-1185 AD), the Kitayama clan was known to reside in the northern mountainous regions of what is now Kyoto Prefecture. Several historical records from this era, including the Nihon Shoki and the Shoku Nihongi, make references to individuals bearing this surname.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Kitayama can be found in the Engishiki, a legal code compiled in 927 AD during the reign of Emperor Daigo. This document mentions a land steward named Kitayama no Sukemichi, who was responsible for overseeing agricultural activities in the northern mountain regions.

In the 12th century, a prominent figure named Kitayama no Tanemori (1144-1199) rose to prominence as a military strategist and served under the powerful Minamoto clan during the Genpei War. His exploits are documented in the Heike Monogatari, a renowned literary work from the Kamakura period.

Another notable individual was Kitayama Hachiro (1628-1705), a skilled swordsmith who lived during the Edo period. His katanas were highly prized for their exceptional craftsmanship and were sought after by samurai warriors across Japan.

During the Meiji Restoration of the late 19th century, Kitayama Yutaka (1837-1920) played a significant role as a diplomat and negotiator. His efforts were instrumental in facilitating the transition from the Tokugawa shogunate to the modern imperial government.

In more recent times, the avant-garde artist Kitayama Tatsumi (1936-2007) gained widespread recognition for his innovative approach to sculpture and installation art. His works were exhibited in prestigious galleries around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Throughout its long history, the surname Kitayama has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including artists, warriors, scholars, and government officials, all contributing to the rich cultural tapestry of Japan.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kitayama

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

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

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

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