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

Kodani, 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 Kodani surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kodani in America

Kodani is the 91221st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kodani surname appeared 202 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 Kodani.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kodani 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 Kodani

The surname Kodani is of Japanese origin, with its roots traced back to the early 16th century. It is believed to have originated in the Kansai region of Japan, particularly in the areas around Osaka and Kyoto.

Kodani is thought to be a locational surname, derived from the name of a specific place or village. One possible explanation is that it comes from the Japanese words "ko" meaning small or little, and "dani" meaning valley or basin, suggesting that the name may have originated in a small valley or basin area.

While there are no recorded instances of the name Kodani appearing in ancient Japanese manuscripts or documents like the Nihon Shoki, it is mentioned in some local records and family histories from the 17th and 18th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Kodani was a samurai named Kodani Masahiro, who lived in the late 16th century and served under the prominent Tokugawa clan during the Sengoku period.

Another notable figure was Kodani Kiyomasa, a Zen Buddhist monk and scholar who lived in the early 17th century and is known for his writings on Zen philosophy and calligraphy.

In the 18th century, there was a renowned artist named Kodani Shunsho, who was a master of the ukiyo-e woodblock printing technique and produced many iconic works depicting scenes from the Edo period.

During the Meiji period in the late 19th century, Kodani Yoshio was a influential politician and diplomat who played a crucial role in the modernization of Japan and the establishment of diplomatic relations with Western nations.

In more recent history, Kodani Yutaka, born in 1932, was a celebrated novelist and literary critic, known for his insightful works exploring the complexities of modern Japanese society.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals bearing the surname Kodani throughout Japanese history, showcasing the rich cultural heritage and significance of this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kodani

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

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

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

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