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

Mitsui, 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 Mitsui surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mitsui in America

Mitsui is the 68949th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mitsui surname appeared 285 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 Mitsui.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mitsui 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 Mitsui

The surname Mitsui is of Japanese origin, derived from the place name Mitsui, a village located in the Aichi Prefecture. The name can be traced back to the early 16th century when the Mitsui family established itself as a prominent merchant and banking dynasty.

The name Mitsui is believed to have originated from the Japanese words "mitsu" meaning "three" and "i" meaning "well" or "water source". This suggests that the name may have been derived from a location near three wells or water sources. The earliest known spelling of the name was "Mitsui" which has remained consistent throughout history.

One of the earliest historical references to the Mitsui name can be found in the records of the Tokugawa shogunate, where the Mitsui family played a crucial role in the economic development of the Edo period (1603-1868). The family's success in the textile trade and financial services established them as one of the most influential merchant houses in Japan.

The first recorded member of the Mitsui family was Mitsui Takatoshi (1622-1694), a wealthy textile merchant who laid the foundation for the family's commercial empire. His son, Mitsui Takahira (1665-1717), further expanded the family's business interests and established their presence in the banking sector.

Another notable figure in the Mitsui lineage was Mitsui Takafusa (1684-1748), who diversified the family's interests into various industries such as mining, shipbuilding, and real estate. His entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen contributed significantly to the growth and prosperity of the Mitsui conglomerate.

In the 19th century, the Mitsui family played a pivotal role in the modernization of Japan. Mitsui Takayasu (1801-1863) was instrumental in the establishment of the family's first modern bank, which later became the Mitsui Bank, one of Japan's largest financial institutions.

During the Meiji period (1868-1912), the Mitsui family continued to expand their business empire and became a major player in the industrialization of Japan. Mitsui Takaharu (1857-1925) was a prominent figure in this era, leading the family's diversification into heavy industries such as steel and mining.

Throughout its rich history, the Mitsui surname has been associated with numerous influential individuals who have left an indelible mark on Japan's economic and cultural landscape.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mitsui

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

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

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

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