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

Morihara, 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 Morihara surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Morihara in America

Morihara is the 151532nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Morihara surname appeared 108 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 Morihara.

We can also compare 2010 data for Morihara 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 Morihara

The surname MORIHARA is of Japanese origin, dating back several centuries. It is believed to have originated in the Hizen Province (present-day Saga Prefecture) of Japan during the Edo period (1603-1867). The name MORIHARA is thought to be derived from two Japanese words, "mori" meaning forest or grove, and "hara" meaning field or plain.

According to historical records, the earliest known mention of the surname MORIHARA can be found in the Edo-era census registers (ninbetsu-aratame-cho) maintained by the Tokugawa shogunate. These registers documented the names and residences of commoners and samurai families throughout Japan.

One notable historical figure bearing the MORIHARA name was Morihara Noriyuki (1756-1801), a prominent scholar and Confucian thinker during the late Edo period. He was born in Saga and served as a tutor to the daimyo (feudal lord) of the Saga Domain.

Another individual of note was Morihara Shigenobu (1842-1899), a politician and statesman who played a key role in the Meiji Restoration and the modernization of Japan in the late 19th century. He served as a member of the House of Peers and held various government positions.

In the realm of literature, Morihara Tamezo (1892-1978) was a celebrated novelist and short story writer known for his works depicting rural life in Japan. His most famous novel, "Nenashigure" (The Endless Downpour), was published in 1935 and is considered a classic of modern Japanese literature.

The MORIHARA surname was also associated with certain geographical locations in Japan, particularly in the Saga Prefecture. For instance, the village of Morihara (now part of the city of Saga) was named after the family that had historically resided in the area.

Another notable figure was Morihara Chikusen (1717-1774), a renowned potter and ceramicist from Kyoto. He was renowned for his innovative techniques and contributions to the development of Japanese pottery during the Edo period.

While the MORIHARA surname is not among the most common in Japan, it has a rich historical lineage and has been borne by individuals who made significant contributions to various fields, including academia, politics, literature, and the arts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Morihara

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

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

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

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