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

Matsunami, 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 Matsunami surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Matsunami in America

Matsunami is the 126018th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Matsunami surname appeared 136 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 Matsunami.

We can also compare 2010 data for Matsunami 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 Matsunami

The surname Matsunami is of Japanese origin and can be traced back to the 14th century. The name is derived from the Japanese words "matsu," meaning pine tree, and "nami," meaning wave, suggesting that the original bearers of the name may have lived near a location where pine trees grew along the shoreline or near waves.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Matsunami can be found in the Kamakura period (1185-1333) records of the Kamakura Shogunate, which ruled over Japan during that time. These records mention a samurai named Matsunami Nobuyuki, who served under the renowned military leader Minamoto no Yoritomo.

In the 16th century, during the Sengoku period (1467-1615), a prominent figure named Matsunami Toshitsugu was a daimyo (feudal lord) who controlled a portion of modern-day Shizuoka Prefecture. He played a role in the battles that eventually led to the reunification of Japan under the Tokugawa Shogunate.

During the Edo period (1603-1868), the Matsunami family was registered as a samurai clan in the service of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Records from this era mention a Matsunami Nobuyoshi, who was a skilled swordsman and instructor in the Shindo Munen-ryu school of swordsmanship.

In the late 19th century, a renowned calligrapher and artist named Matsunami Katsura (1833-1907) gained recognition for his exceptional works in traditional Japanese calligraphy and painting. His works are still highly regarded and can be found in various museums and private collections.

Another notable figure with the surname Matsunami was Matsunami Masao (1892-1966), a Japanese politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs during the early years of the Showa period (1926-1989). He played a significant role in shaping Japan's foreign policy during a tumultuous period in the country's history.

While the surname Matsunami is not as common as some other Japanese surnames, it has a rich history and has been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions to various aspects of Japanese culture and society over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Matsunami

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

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

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

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