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

Mitani, 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 Mitani surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mitani in America

Mitani is the 98982nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mitani surname appeared 183 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 Mitani.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mitani 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 Mitani

The surname Mitani is believed to have originated from Japan, with records dating back to the 15th century. It is thought to be derived from the Japanese word "mitani," meaning "valley" or "ravine." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or in a valley.

One of the earliest known references to the Mitani name is found in the Kamakura period (1185-1333) records of a samurai family from the Kanto region of Japan. The name appears in various historical documents and records from this time period, often associated with individuals of some social standing or importance.

In the Muromachi period (1336-1573), there are records of a Mitani clan that held significant land holdings and influence in the Ise Province (present-day Mie Prefecture). This clan played a role in the power struggles and conflicts that characterized this turbulent era of Japanese history.

The name Mitani also appears in several historical documents from the Edo period (1603-1868), including records of merchants, artisans, and scholars. One notable figure was Mitani Natsuki (1637-1719), a renowned painter and calligrapher who served as an official court artist during the late 17th century.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, several individuals with the Mitani surname made significant contributions to various fields. Mitani Tomiji (1865-1942) was a prominent educator and advocate for women's education, establishing several schools and institutions in Tokyo. Mitani Koki (1889-1968) was a renowned architect known for his innovative designs, including the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan (Tokyo Performing Arts Center).

Another notable figure was Mitani Masao (1920-2001), a renowned physicist who made significant contributions to the study of astrophysics and the theory of general relativity. He was a professor at the University of Tokyo and a member of the prestigious Japan Academy.

While the Mitani surname is not among the most common in Japan, it has a rich history and has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including samurai, artists, scholars, and scientists, throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mitani

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

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

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

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