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

Matsuura, 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 Matsuura surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Matsuura in America

Matsuura is the 28131st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Matsuura surname appeared 851 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 Matsuura.

We can also compare 2010 data for Matsuura 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 Matsuura

The surname Matsuura has its origins in Japan and can be traced back to the 8th century. It is believed to have derived from the Japanese place name Matsuura, which means "pine village" or "pine bay". This place name refers to the Matsuura Peninsula, located in Nagasaki Prefecture, on the island of Kyushu.

During the Nara period (710-794), the Matsuura clan was one of the most influential families in the region. They played a significant role in the establishment of the Matsuura Domain, which was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate.

The earliest recorded instance of the Matsuura name can be found in the Shoku Nihongi, an imperial chronicle that covers the period from 697 to 791. This document mentions a man named Matsuura no Yoshitsugu, who served as a provincial governor during the reign of Emperor Genmei.

In the 12th century, the Matsuura clan rose to prominence under the leadership of Matsuura Sumitomo, a skilled military commander who fought alongside the legendary Minamoto no Yoritomo during the Genpei War. Sumitomo was later granted the title of "Dainichinokami" by the imperial court for his services.

Another notable figure from the Matsuura clan was Matsuura Shigenobu (1549-1614), a powerful daimyo (feudal lord) who ruled over the Matsuura Domain during the Sengoku period. Shigenobu was known for his innovative agricultural policies and his support for the introduction of Western technology and culture to Japan.

During the Edo period (1603-1868), the Matsuura clan continued to play an influential role in the region. One of the most famous members of the clan was Matsuura Kiyoshi (1711-1764), a scholar and diplomat who served as the chief ambassador to the Qing Dynasty in China.

In more recent times, the Matsuura name has been associated with several prominent figures in Japan. For example, Matsuura Takeshiro (1918-2002) was a renowned filmmaker and writer who is best known for his award-winning film "Hishu Monogatari" (A Tale of Samurai Cooking).

Overall, the surname Matsuura has a rich and diverse history that spans over a millennium. It has been associated with various noble families, military leaders, scholars, and cultural figures, all of whom have contributed to the cultural and historical legacy of Japan.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Matsuura

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

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

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

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