2000
#128,797
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Miyao
A Japanese surname meaning "shrine meadow" or "beautiful meadow."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Miyao. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Miyao surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Miyao in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Miyao, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 73.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (11.7%) and Hispanic (7.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Miyao
The surname MIYAO is of Japanese origin, tracing its roots back several centuries. It is believed to have originated in the Kyoto region of Japan, where it was initially associated with families residing in or near the town of Miyao.
During the Edo period (1603-1868), the name MIYAO appeared in various local records and documents, indicating its presence among the samurai class and landowners in the Kyoto area. Some historical accounts suggest that the name may have derived from the Japanese words "mi" (meaning "beautiful") and "yao" (meaning "valley" or "mountain pass"), implying a connection to a picturesque location.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname MIYAO was Miyao Nobuharu (1545-1614), a renowned samurai and military strategist who served under the powerful Tokugawa shogunate. He was known for his pivotal role in several battles during the Sengoku period, including the Siege of Odawara in 1590.
Another notable figure was Miyao Yoshikazu (1670-1732), a scholar and poet who gained prominence during the Edo period. His works, which included haiku and tanka poetry, were widely celebrated for their elegance and depth.
In the 19th century, Miyao Tomokiyo (1810-1878) made significant contributions to the field of agriculture and rural development. He introduced innovative farming techniques and advocated for land reforms, which helped improve the lives of many rural communities.
During the Meiji era (1868-1912), the name MIYAO gained further recognition with the emergence of Miyao Tsunetō (1835-1901), a prominent educator and advocate for modern educational reforms. He played a crucial role in establishing Japan's modern education system and promoting the integration of Western learning.
Another notable figure from this period was Miyao Masao (1855-1927), a pioneering photographer who documented the rapid modernization of Japan during the Meiji period. His captivating images provided a valuable visual record of the country's transformation.
While the surname MIYAO has its roots in the Kyoto region, it has since spread across Japan, with families bearing this name found in various parts of the country. Over the centuries, the name has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including samurai, scholars, artists, and leaders in various fields.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Miyao
Among Census respondents with the surname Miyao, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 73.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (11.7%) and Hispanic (7.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Miyao bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Miyao surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander73.9% · 82
- Two or more races11.7% · 13
- Hispanic or Latino7.2% · 8
- White2.7% · 3
- Black or African American2.7% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Miyao
Miyao appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#132,206
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 128
+6 bearers (+4.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,409 places
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
-17 bearers (-13.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 16,459 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #128,797 | 122 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #132,206 | 128 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+4.9%) | Down 3,409 places |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | -17 bearers (-13.3%) | Down 16,459 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Miyao surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #132,206 | #148,665 | -12.4% |
| Count | 128 | 111 | -13.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Miyao bearers went from 128 to 111 (-13.3% change). The surname moved down 16,459 positions in the national ranking, going from #132,206 to #148,665.
FAQ
Miyao surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Miyao?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Miyao. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Miyao?
Miyao ranks #148,665 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 111 people with the surname Miyao. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Miyao.
Has Miyao become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Miyao went from 128 recorded bearers to 111. That is a decrease of 17 (-13.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #132,206 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Miyao?
Among Census respondents with the surname Miyao, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 73.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (11.7%) and Hispanic (7.2%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Miyao in the 2020 Census, accounting for 73.9% (82 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Miyao appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (73.9%), Two or More Races (11.7%), Hispanic (7.2%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Miyao (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Miyao mean?
A Japanese surname meaning "shrine meadow" or "beautiful meadow." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Miyao (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Miyao?
Want to know how many people are called Miyao? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.