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

Kokubun, 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 Kokubun surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kokubun in America

Kokubun is the 127494th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kokubun surname appeared 134 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 Kokubun.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kokubun 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 Kokubun

The surname KOKUBUN originated in Japan during the Heian period (794-1185 AD). It is derived from the Japanese words "koku" meaning "country" and "bun" meaning "culture" or "literature". The name was initially used to refer to scholars and individuals who were well-versed in the country's cultural traditions and literature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the KOKUBUN surname can be found in the Nihon Shoki, a historical chronicle of ancient Japan completed in 720 AD. The text mentions a scholar named KOKUBUN no Michizane, who lived during the late 9th century and served as a prominent court official and poet.

During the Kamakura period (1185-1333 AD), the KOKUBUN surname gained further recognition as a prominent family of scholars and cultural figures. One notable individual from this era was KOKUBUN Akisuke (1142-1212), a renowned poet and calligrapher who served as a court official under the Kamakura shogunate.

The KOKUBUN family's influence continued into the Muromachi period (1336-1573 AD), with several members serving as advisors and cultural experts to the shogunate. Among them was KOKUBUN Moronao (1476-1549), a renowned scholar and advisor to the Ashikaga shoguns.

In the Edo period (1603-1868 AD), the KOKUBUN surname was associated with several influential families of scholars and artists. One notable figure from this era was KOKUBUN Yoshihide (1717-1785), a renowned playwright and poet who contributed to the development of the Kabuki theater.

Another prominent individual with the KOKUBUN surname was KOKUBUN Ichitaro (1825-1868), a scholar and educator who played a significant role in the modernization of Japan's education system during the late Edo and early Meiji periods.

Throughout its history, the KOKUBUN surname has been associated with individuals who have made significant contributions to Japanese culture, literature, and scholarship. While the name may have evolved over time, its roots can be traced back to the Heian period and the reverence for cultural traditions and learning that defined the era.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kokubun

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

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

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

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