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

Matsuoka, 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 Matsuoka surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Matsuoka in America

Matsuoka is the 24736th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Matsuoka surname appeared 1,008 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 Matsuoka.

We can also compare 2010 data for Matsuoka 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 Matsuoka

The surname Matsuoka is of Japanese origin, originating from the Edo period of Japanese history (1603-1868). It is derived from the Japanese words "matsu" meaning pine tree, and "oka" meaning hill or small mountain, likely indicating that the name originated from a place name describing a location with pine trees on a hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Matsuoka name can be found in the Edo period records of the Tokugawa shogunate, where a samurai warrior by the name of Matsuoka Hisanori (1611-1679) served under the Tokugawa clan. He was known for his bravery and loyalty in several battles during that time.

In the late 18th century, a renowned Japanese scholar and philosopher, Matsuoka Chikugo (1763-1825), gained fame for his writings on Confucian and Buddhist teachings. His works were widely studied and influential in the intellectual circles of the time.

During the Meiji period (1868-1912), a prominent politician and diplomat, Matsuoka Yosuke (1880-1946), played a significant role in Japan's foreign affairs. He served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and was instrumental in negotiating the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact in 1941.

Another notable figure with the Matsuoka surname was Matsuoka Toshitsugu (1892-1975), a Japanese entrepreneur and industrialist who founded the Matsuoka Gumi Corporation, a major construction and engineering company in Japan.

In more recent history, Matsuoka Kazunari (1899-1975) was a highly respected Japanese writer and literary critic. His works explored themes of modernity and societal change in Japan during the early 20th century.

While the surname Matsuoka has its roots in Japan, it has also spread to other parts of the world due to Japanese immigration and diaspora. However, the historical references and notable figures mentioned above showcase the name's rich heritage and associations with Japanese culture and history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Matsuoka

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

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

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

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