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

Masuda, 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 Masuda surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Masuda in America

Masuda is the 16993rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Masuda surname appeared 1,672 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Masuda.

We can also compare 2010 data for Masuda 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 Masuda

The surname Masuda is of Japanese origin and can be traced back to the 15th century. It is believed to have originated from the Masuda District in Shimane Prefecture, which was a prominent area for samurai warriors during the feudal era.

Masuda is thought to be derived from the Japanese words "ma" meaning "true" or "genuine" and "suda" meaning "residence" or "dwelling." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to individuals who lived in a genuine or authentic residence, possibly indicating their social standing or connection to a particular area.

Early records of the Masuda surname can be found in historical documents and manuscripts from the Edo period (1603-1868). One notable example is the Masuda clan, a samurai family that served under the Tokugawa shogunate during the 17th century.

The first recorded instance of the name Masuda dates back to 1547, when a samurai warrior named Masuda Nagamori (1547-1615) fought in the Battle of Mikatagahara during the Sengoku period. He later became a retainer of the powerful Tokugawa clan.

Another prominent figure with the Masuda surname was Masuda Tsuranan (1756-1842), a renowned scholar and poet during the late Edo period. He was known for his expertise in Chinese literature and his contributions to the development of the haiku poetic form.

In the 19th century, Masuda Takashi (1848-1938) was a notable politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the early Meiji era. He played a crucial role in establishing Japan's diplomatic relations with Western nations.

The Masuda name has also been associated with several places in Japan, such as Masuda City in Shimane Prefecture and Masuda Village in Akita Prefecture. These locations may have derived their names from the surname or vice versa, reflecting the historical ties between the name and certain geographical areas.

Other notable individuals with the Masuda surname include Masuda Hiroo (1936-2011), a successful businessman and the founder of the Masuda Corporation, and Masuda Yuzuru (1899-1979), a celebrated printmaker and artist known for his woodblock prints depicting traditional Japanese scenes.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Masuda

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

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

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

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