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

Matsumoto, 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 Matsumoto surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Matsumoto in America

Matsumoto is the 7421st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Matsumoto surname appeared 4,486 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Matsumoto.

We can also compare 2010 data for Matsumoto 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 Matsumoto

The surname Matsumoto originated in Japan and can be traced back to the early 8th century. It is derived from the Japanese words "matsu" meaning pine tree and "moto" meaning origin or source, suggesting it was initially given to someone who lived near a pine tree or a pine forest.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Matsumoto appears in the Shoku Nihongi, an early 9th century historical text that chronicles the reigns of Japanese emperors. It mentions a samurai warrior named Matsumoto no Tsunekata who served under Emperor Kammu during the late Nara period (710-794).

During the Kamakura period (1185-1333), the Matsumoto clan emerged as a prominent samurai family in the Shinano province, modern-day Nagano Prefecture. They were known for their skilled archery and served as retainers to the powerful Ogasawara clan.

In the 16th century, Matsumoto Yasuhiro (1551-1611) was a notable daimyo, or feudal lord, who ruled over the Matsumoto Domain in present-day Nagano Prefecture. He was instrumental in the construction of the iconic Matsumoto Castle, which still stands today as one of Japan's oldest surviving castles.

Another famous individual with the Matsumoto surname was Matsumoto Koshiro II (1666-1746), a renowned Kabuki actor and playwright during the Edo period (1603-1868). He was celebrated for his innovative acting style and for popularizing the aragoto style of Kabuki performance.

In the 20th century, Matsumoto Toshio (1932-2017) was a respected writer and critic who won several prestigious literary awards, including the Akutagawa Prize and the Tanizaki Prize, for his works exploring themes of identity and cultural displacement.

While the name Matsumoto is most commonly associated with Japan, it has also been adopted by families in other parts of the world, particularly in areas with significant Japanese diaspora communities. However, its origins can be firmly traced back to the historical regions of Japan and the cultural significance of pine trees in Japanese tradition.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Matsumoto

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

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

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

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