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

Nagata, 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 Nagata surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nagata in America

Nagata is the 18766th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nagata surname appeared 1,461 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Nagata.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nagata 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 Nagata

The surname Nagata is of Japanese origin. It is derived from the Japanese word "nagata," which means "long valley" or "long rice field." The name originated in rural areas of Japan where agriculture, particularly rice farming, was a significant part of the economy and way of life.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Nagata can be traced back to the Kamakura period (1185-1333) in Japan. During this time, family names became more widespread, and many were derived from geographical features or occupations. The Nagata name likely emerged as a way to identify families living in areas with long valleys or rice fields.

One of the earliest known references to the Nagata name can be found in the "Azuma Kagami" (Mirror of the East), a historical chronicle compiled in the late 13th century. This text documents the lives and activities of prominent samurai families during the Kamakura period, and it includes mentions of individuals with the surname Nagata.

In the 16th century, during the Sengoku period (1467-1615), a notable figure named Nagata Masanari (1535-1592) served as a retainer to the powerful Oda and Toyotomi clans. Nagata Masanari played a role in several significant battles and was known for his loyalty and military prowess.

Another historical figure with the Nagata surname was Nagata Masatoshi (1587-1661), a Confucian scholar and bureaucrat who served under the Tokugawa shogunate. Nagata Masatoshi was known for his contributions to education and his efforts to promote Confucian teachings in Japan.

In the Edo period (1603-1868), the Nagata name was associated with several prominent samurai families, including the Nagata clan of Tosa Province (present-day Kochi Prefecture) and the Nagata clan of Echigo Province (present-day Niigata Prefecture).

One of the most famous individuals with the Nagata surname was Nagata Tetsuzan (1838-1904), a renowned Buddhist priest and calligrapher. Nagata Tetsuzan was known for his innovative calligraphic styles and his contributions to reviving traditional Japanese arts and culture.

During the Meiji period (1868-1912), Nagata Isamu (1860-1939) was a prominent educator and advocate for women's education. He founded one of Japan's first private schools for women and played a significant role in promoting gender equality in education.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nagata

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

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

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

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