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

Masaki, 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 Masaki surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Masaki in America

Masaki is the 47614th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Masaki surname appeared 445 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 Masaki.

We can also compare 2010 data for Masaki 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 Masaki

The surname Masaki originated in Japan during the Kamakura period (1185-1333 AD). It is believed to have derived from the Japanese words "masa" meaning "true" or "righteous" and "ki" meaning "tree" or "wood". The name may have referred to a strong or noble person, or someone who lived near a significant tree or forest.

The earliest recorded instances of the Masaki name appear in historical documents from the late 12th century, including records of samurai families and landowners in the Kanto region of central Japan. During the Muromachi period (1336-1573), the name is found in genealogical records of noble families in Kyoto and other parts of western Japan.

One notable individual with the Masaki surname was Masaki Naomori (1561-1619), a prominent daimyo (feudal lord) who ruled the Miyazu Domain in present-day Kyoto Prefecture. He was known for his military prowess and played a significant role in the battles of the Sengoku period.

Another historical figure was Masaki Yoshinaga (1628-1696), a Confucian scholar and advisor to the Tokugawa Shogunate. He wrote several influential works on ethics and governance, and his teachings were widely studied by samurai and government officials.

In the Edo period (1603-1868), the Masaki name appeared among merchant families and artisans in cities like Edo (modern-day Tokyo) and Osaka. One example is Masaki Yoshizane (1772-1842), a renowned woodblock print artist and painter who was part of the Ukiyo-e movement.

During the Meiji era (1868-1912), as Japan modernized and adopted a Western-style family registry system, the Masaki name became more widely distributed across the country. Notable figures from this period include Masaki Naohiko (1862-1940), a diplomat and politician who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the early 20th century.

Another influential individual was Masaki Jinzaburo (1876-1956), a pioneering industrialist who founded the Masaki Spinning Company, one of the largest textile manufacturers in Japan at the time.

Throughout its history, the Masaki surname has been associated with various professions and social classes, from samurai warriors and government officials to merchants, artists, and industrialists. While its origins can be traced back to medieval Japan, the name has endured and continues to be widely used today.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Masaki

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

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

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

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