Matsushima
An uncommon Japanese locational surname referring to a pine-covered island.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 548 Americans carry the last name Matsushima. That puts it at #46,219 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.16 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 625,464 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Matsushima surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
548
1 in 625,464
Census rank
#46,219
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
461
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 461 bearers of the surname Matsushima in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.16 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 46219th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Matsushima, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 74.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (16.5%) and White (6.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Matsushima
The surname Matsushima is of Japanese origin. It first emerged in the late 8th century AD on the islands of Japan. The name is derived from the Japanese words 'matsu' meaning pine tree and 'shima' meaning island, thus indicating a place name referring to an island with pine trees.
One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname appears in the Engishiki, an ancient Japanese legal text compiled in 927 AD. Here, a person named Matsushima no Kiyomaro is mentioned as a lower-ranking court official. The name likely referred to his place of origin or ancestry.
During the Kamakura period (1185-1333 AD), the Matsushima clan emerged as a notable samurai family based in the Matsushima region of northern Honshu. They served as vassals to the powerful Date clan. Notable members included Matsushima Masanao (1547-1615), a skilled military commander.
The picturesque island of Matsushima in Miyagi Prefecture took its name from this surname. Dating back over a millennium, it contains several Shinto shrines and temples and was praised as one of the three most scenic views of Japan by the famous poet Matsuo Basho in the 17th century.
Other historical figures bearing this surname include the Buddhist monk Matsushima Kenrin (1569-1637), who helped establish the Obaku school of Zen in Japan after studying in China. The playwright and poet Matsushima Rin (1776-1859) was also a noted literary figure of the late Edo period.
Jumping to the modern era, Matsushima Hajime (1900-1986) was a renowned Japanese printmaker and artist who studied Western painting techniques. His woodblock prints depicting traditional Japanese scenes became highly sought after internationally during his lifetime.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Matsushima
Among Census respondents with the surname Matsushima, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 74.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (16.5%) and White (6.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Matsushima bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Matsushima surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander74.6%
- Two or more races16.5%
- White6.1%
- Hispanic or Latino2.6%
- Unknown or suppressed0.2%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Matsushima surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #43,157 | #46,219 | -7.1% |
| Count | 472 | 461 | -2.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.17 | 0.16 | -5.9% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Matsushima bearers went from 472 to 461 (-2.3% change). The surname moved down 3,062 positions in the national ranking, going from #43,157 to #46,219.
FAQ
Matsushima surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Matsushima?
The surname Matsushima holds position #46,219 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 548 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.16 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Matsushima surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Matsushima, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 74.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (16.5%) and White (6.1%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.