2000
#22,891
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,044
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.39
Rare Last name
Matsui
A Japanese surname derived from the pine tree.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,189 Americans carry the last name Matsui. That puts it at #25,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.35 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 288,271 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Matsui surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
1.2K
1 in 288,271
Census rank
#25,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,037 bearers of the surname Matsui in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.35 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 25049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Matsui, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 78.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (11.8%) and White (7.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Matsui
The surname Matsui is of Japanese origin, tracing its roots back to the 8th century CE. It is derived from two Japanese words: "matsu," meaning pine tree, and "i," which signifies a well or a spring. The name likely originated in areas where pine trees grew near natural water sources, such as in the mountainous regions of central Japan.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Matsui can be found in the Shoku Nihongi, an imperial chronicle compiled in the 9th century. The text mentions a prominent samurai family bearing this surname who served under the imperial court during the Heian period (794-1185 CE).
During the Kamakura period (1185-1333 CE), the Matsui clan gained prominence as skilled warriors and strategists. Several manuscripts from this era, including the Azuma Kagami and the Taiheiki, document the exploits of Matsui Sanemori (1211-1285), a renowned military commander who played a pivotal role in the Mongol invasions of Japan.
In the Muromachi period (1336-1573 CE), the Matsui family established themselves as influential landowners and administrators in the Kyoto region. One notable figure from this time was Matsui Yorinobu (1456-1516), a skilled diplomat and scholar who served as a court advisor to several shogunates.
The Edo period (1603-1868 CE) saw the rise of Matsui Kikusaburo (1628-1705), a celebrated playwright and poet whose works were highly influential in the development of Kabuki theater. His plays, such as "Kanadehon Chushingura," remain celebrated classics in Japanese literature.
Another prominent figure bearing the Matsui name was Matsui Nobuyuki (1835-1888), a leading figure in the Meiji Restoration and one of the architects of Japan's modernization. He played a crucial role in establishing the Imperial Japanese Army and served as the first Minister of War in the Meiji government.
Throughout its long history, the Matsui surname has been associated with various professions, from samurai warriors and landowners to artists, scholars, and government officials. While its origins can be traced back to the ancient times, the name continues to be widely used in contemporary Japan, carrying with it a rich cultural legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Matsui
Among Census respondents with the surname Matsui, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 78.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (11.8%) and White (7.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Matsui bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Matsui surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander78.5% · 814
- Two or more races11.8% · 122
- White7.7% · 80
- Hispanic or Latino2.0% · 21
Timeline
Historical Census data for Matsui
Matsui appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#23,852
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,059
+15 bearers (+1.4%)
Per 100,000 0.36
Rank movement Down 961 places
2020
#25,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,037
-22 bearers (-2.1%)
Per 100,000 0.35
Rank movement Down 1,197 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #22,891 | 1,044 | 0.39 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #23,852 | 1,059 | 0.36 | +15 bearers (+1.4%) | Down 961 places |
| 2020 | #25,049 | 1,037 | 0.35 | -22 bearers (-2.1%) | Down 1,197 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Matsui surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #23,852 | #25,049 | -5.0% |
| Count | 1,059 | 1,037 | -2.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.36 | 0.35 | -3.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Matsui bearers went from 1,059 to 1,037 (-2.1% change). The surname moved down 1,197 positions in the national ranking, going from #23,852 to #25,049.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Matsui
FAQ
Matsui surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Matsui?
Name Census estimates that about 1,189 living Americans carry the surname Matsui. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 288,271 residents.
How common is Matsui?
Matsui ranks #25,049 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.35 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,037 people with the surname Matsui. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,189), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.35 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.35 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Matsui.
Has Matsui become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Matsui went from 1,059 recorded bearers to 1,037. That is a decrease of 22 (-2.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #23,852 to #25,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Matsui?
Among Census respondents with the surname Matsui, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 78.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (11.8%) and White (7.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Matsui in the 2020 Census, accounting for 78.5% (814 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Matsui appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (78.5%), Two or More Races (11.8%), White (7.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Matsui (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Matsui mean?
A Japanese surname derived from the pine tree. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Matsui (0.35 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Matsui?
If you just want to know how many people have the last name Matsui, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.