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

Matsuda, 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 Matsuda surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Matsuda in America

Matsuda is the 14604th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Matsuda surname appeared 2,038 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 Matsuda.

We can also compare 2010 data for Matsuda 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 Matsuda

The surname Matsuda is of Japanese origin, dating back to the 8th century AD. It is derived from the Japanese words 'matsu' meaning 'pine tree' and 'da' meaning 'rice paddy', suggesting that the name originated from a place where pine trees grew near rice fields.

Matsuda was initially recorded in various regional records and family registries during the Heian period (794-1185 AD) in Japan's Kansai region, particularly in present-day Osaka and Kyoto prefectures. Some of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in the Shoku Nihongi, an imperial chronicle completed in 797 AD.

During the Kamakura period (1185-1333 AD), the Matsuda family gained prominence as samurai warriors serving under the Hojo clan, who ruled as shoguns in Kamakura. Notable figures from this time include Matsuda Yoshisada (1179-1263), a skilled archer and military strategist, and Matsuda Nobuyuki (1228-1298), a respected swordsman and advisor to the Hojo regents.

As the Matsuda clan spread throughout Japan, various branches emerged, leading to regional variations in the spelling and pronunciation of the name. For instance, in the northern regions of Honshu, the name was sometimes rendered as 'Matsuya' or 'Matsudaira'.

In the Edo period (1603-1868), several Matsuda individuals held positions of influence within the Tokugawa shogunate. Matsuda Izu no Kami Yasuchika (1594-1660) was a prominent daimyo (feudal lord) who governed the Matsuda domain in present-day Kanagawa Prefecture. Another noteworthy figure was Matsuda Kikusui (1756-1835), a renowned Confucian scholar and educator.

Other historical figures bearing the Matsuda name include Matsuda Takanobu (1764-1841), a pioneering agriculturist who introduced new farming techniques, and Matsuda Chikamatsu (1870-1947), a celebrated author and playwright known for his historical dramas and adaptations of traditional tales.

As the name spread globally through emigration, individuals with the surname Matsuda have made significant contributions in various fields, such as Matsuda Shizuko (1913-2001), a pioneering Japanese-American artist renowned for her woodblock prints, and Matsuda Yoko (1941-2011), a Japanese-American dancer and choreographer celebrated for her innovative fusion of Eastern and Western dance styles.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Matsuda

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

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

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

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