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

Kudo, 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 Kudo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kudo in America

Kudo is the 41359th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kudo surname appeared 526 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 Kudo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kudo 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 Kudo

The surname Kudo is of Japanese origin, and its earliest known use dates back to the 8th century during the Nara period. The name is thought to be derived from the old Japanese word "kudo," which means "praise" or "respect." In those early days, the Kudo name was primarily associated with families residing in the Kanto region, particularly around present-day Tokyo.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Kudo name appears in the Shoku Nihongi, an ancient chronicle of Japanese history completed in 797 AD. The text mentions a samurai warrior named Kudo no Masahira, who served under the famous Emperor Kammu during the late 8th century.

During the Kamakura period (1185-1333), the Kudo clan gained prominence as skilled swordsmiths and loyal retainers to the Minamoto clan. Kudo Suketsune, born in 1195, was a renowned swordsmith who crafted blades for several Minamoto shoguns.

In the Edo period (1603-1868), the Kudo family produced several notable scholars and artists. Kudo Heisuke, born in 1734, was a celebrated painter and calligrapher who worked in the traditional Kano school style. His works can be found in various temples and museums across Japan.

Another notable figure was Kudo Shunroku, a 19th-century physician and scholar who made significant contributions to the study of traditional Japanese medicine. His book, "Kudo Honsho," published in 1827, is still regarded as a valuable reference work on herbal remedies.

In more recent times, the Kudo name has been associated with various fields, including sports, entertainment, and politics. Kudo Kazunori, born in 1946, is a renowned martial artist and the founder of the Daido Juku Kudo martial art style. Kudo Shizuka, born in 1982, is a popular actress and singer who has appeared in numerous Japanese television dramas and films.

While the Kudo surname may have originated in Japan, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to immigration and cultural exchange. However, its roots can be traced back to the ancient Japanese traditions and values of respect, honor, and craftsmanship.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kudo

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

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!