Mishima
A locational surname referring to someone from the village of Mishima in Japan.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 274 Americans carry the last name Mishima. That puts it at #78,567 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,250,928 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mishima 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
274
1 in 1,250,928
Census rank
#78,567
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
243
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 243 bearers of the surname Mishima in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 78567th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mishima, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 79.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (11.1%) and Hispanic (5.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mishima
The surname Mishima is of Japanese origin and can be traced back to the late 7th century AD. It is derived from the Japanese place name Mishima, which refers to a region in the present-day Shizuoka Prefecture. The name itself is composed of the words "mi" meaning "august" or "venerable," and "shima" meaning "island" or "peninsula."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Mishima surname can be found in the Shoku Nihongi, an early 8th-century chronicle of Japanese history. The text mentions a noble named Mishima no Munetaka, who served as a provincial governor during the Nara period (710-794 AD).
During the Kamakura period (1185-1333 AD), the Mishima clan rose to prominence as a samurai family based in the Izu Province (now part of Shizuoka Prefecture). They were known for their military prowess and loyalty to the Hojo clan, who ruled as shoguns during this era.
In the 16th century, a prominent figure named Mishima Michitsuna (1521-1587) served as a daimyo (feudal lord) and played a significant role in the unification of Japan under the leadership of Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
Another notable individual with the Mishima surname was Mishima Yukio (1925-1970), a renowned Japanese author and playwright. He was a highly influential figure in the post-World War II literary scene and is best known for works such as "The Temple of the Golden Pavilion" and "The Sea of Fertility" tetralogy.
In the realm of martial arts, Mishima Raisuke (1938-2005) was a prominent figure in the world of karate. He was the founder of the Mishima-ryu style and played a crucial role in the development and popularization of karate in Japan and beyond.
Throughout history, the Mishima surname has also been associated with various place names and locations within Japan. For instance, the city of Mishima in Shizuoka Prefecture and the Mishima Islands, a group of islands located in the Sea of Japan, both bear this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mishima
Among Census respondents with the surname Mishima, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 79.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (11.1%) and Hispanic (5.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Mishima 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 Mishima surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander79.4%
- Two or more races11.1%
- Hispanic or Latino5.3%
- White4.1%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Mishima 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 | #68,360 | #78,567 | -14.9% |
| Count | 269 | 243 | -9.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.10 | 0.08 | -20.0% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Mishima bearers went from 269 to 243 (-9.7% change). The surname moved down 10,207 positions in the national ranking, going from #68,360 to #78,567.
FAQ
Mishima surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Mishima?
The surname Mishima holds position #78,567 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 274 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Mishima surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mishima, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 79.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (11.1%) and Hispanic (5.3%). 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.