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

Kumagai, 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 Kumagai surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kumagai in America

Kumagai is the 43811th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kumagai surname appeared 492 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 Kumagai.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kumagai 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 Kumagai

The surname KUMAGAI is of Japanese origin, tracing its roots back to the 8th century CE. It is believed to have originated in the Kyoto region of Japan, where it was initially spelled as "Kumagai."

The name KUMAGAI is derived from the Japanese words "kuma," meaning bear, and "gai," meaning valley or gorge. This suggests that the name may have originated from a geographic location or region known for its bear population or associated with bears in some way.

One of the earliest recorded references to the KUMAGAI name can be found in the Shoku Nihongi, an early Japanese historical text compiled in the late 8th century. The text mentions a samurai warrior named Kumagai no Naozane, who lived during the late Heian period (794-1185 CE).

Another notable historical figure with the KUMAGAI surname was Kumagai Naozane, a renowned samurai who fought in the Genpei War (1180-1185 CE) between the Minamoto and Taira clans. He is celebrated in the classical Japanese epic "The Tale of the Heike" for his valor and adherence to the samurai code of honor.

In the 14th century, a prominent Buddhist monk named Kumagai Tenshin (1295-1388) gained recognition for his teachings and contributions to Zen Buddhism. He served as the head priest of the Daitoku-ji temple in Kyoto and is credited with establishing several sub-temples within the complex.

During the Edo period (1603-1868 CE), the KUMAGAI name was associated with several notable figures, including Kumagai Arihiro (1617-1688), a daimyo (feudal lord) who ruled over the Matsushiro Domain in present-day Nagano Prefecture.

Another influential person with the KUMAGAI surname was Kumagai Masahiro (1754-1830), a renowned Confucian scholar and educator who served as a teacher to the shogunate during the late Edo period.

While the KUMAGAI name has its origins in Japan, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and intermarriage. However, the majority of individuals bearing this surname can still be found in Japan, particularly in the Kansai region around Kyoto and Osaka.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kumagai

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

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

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

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