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

Kumasaka, 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 Kumasaka surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kumasaka in America

Kumasaka is the 132206th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kumasaka surname appeared 128 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 Kumasaka.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kumasaka 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 Kumasaka

The surname Kumasaka has its origins in Japan, dating back several centuries. It is believed to have derived from the combination of two older Japanese words, "kuma" meaning bear and "saka" meaning hill or slope, potentially referring to a geographic location associated with bears or a bear-like topography.

The earliest known records of the Kumasaka name can be traced back to the late 16th century, with mentions in local administrative documents and historical texts from the Kyoto region. One notable individual was Kumasaka Nobutoki, a minor samurai lord who lived during the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1573-1603).

In the 17th century, the Kumasaka family gained prominence as skilled artisans and craftsmen. Kumasaka Kiyonaga (1615-1682) was a renowned lacquerware artist whose works were highly sought after by the nobility and wealthy merchant class of the time.

As the name spread across Japan, it became associated with various place names, such as Kumasaka Village in Hiroshima Prefecture and Kumasaka Town in Kagoshima Prefecture. These locations may have served as the original homesteads for different branches of the Kumasaka family.

During the Edo period (1603-1868), the Kumasaka name appeared in various historical records, including the writings of renowned scholars and poets. Kumasaka Tōyō (1734-1805) was a celebrated haiku poet who contributed to the development of the literary form during this era.

In more recent centuries, the Kumasaka surname has been carried by notable figures in various fields. Kumasaka Hiromichi (1874-1949) was a prominent educator and principal of Tokyo Imperial University (now the University of Tokyo), known for his efforts in modernizing Japan's education system.

Another notable individual was Kumasaka Atsuko (1905-1995), a pioneering female journalist and writer who documented the experiences of women during World War II and the post-war reconstruction period in Japan.

While the Kumasaka name has its roots in Japan, it has also been adopted by individuals in other parts of the world, particularly among Japanese diaspora communities, reflecting the cultural diversity and migration patterns of the modern era.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kumasaka

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

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

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

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