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

Nagatani, 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 Nagatani surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nagatani in America

Nagatani is the 101247th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nagatani surname appeared 178 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 Nagatani.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nagatani 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 Nagatani

The surname Nagatani originates from Japan and can be traced back to the late 8th century AD. It is believed to be derived from the Japanese words "naga," meaning "long" or "permanent," and "tani," meaning "valley" or "gorge." This suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals who lived in or near a particular long valley or gorge.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Nagatani name appears in the Shoku Nihongi, an early Japanese historical text compiled in the late 8th century. This text mentions a clan or family with the name Nagatani residing in the region of present-day Kyoto Prefecture.

During the Heian period (794-1185 AD), the Nagatani clan was known to be influential landowners and administrators in the Kyoto area. Several members of the clan held important positions in the Imperial Court and were involved in the governance of the region.

In the 12th century, a notable figure named Nagatani Masatsuna (1170-1242) served as a samurai warrior and retainer to the powerful Minamoto clan. He is recorded in various historical chronicles for his military exploits and loyalty to his lord.

Another prominent individual with the Nagatani surname was Nagatani Nobutsuna (1505-1582), a daimyo (feudal lord) who controlled a significant territory in present-day Gifu Prefecture during the Sengoku period (1467-1615). He played a role in the regional conflicts of that turbulent era.

In the Edo period (1603-1868), the Nagatani family continued to hold influential positions as local administrators and landowners in various regions of Japan. One notable figure from this time was Nagatani Toshitsugu (1677-1744), a scholar and poet who contributed to the development of traditional Japanese literature and poetry.

The Nagatani surname has been associated with several place names throughout Japanese history, including Nagatani-cho (town) in Aichi Prefecture, Nagatani-mura (village) in Shizuoka Prefecture, and Nagatani-gun (district) in Kagoshima Prefecture. These place names likely originated from the presence of prominent Nagatani families in those areas.

While the Nagatani surname is not among the most common in Japan today, it has a rich historical background and can be traced back to the early centuries of Japanese recorded history. The name has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including samurai warriors, feudal lords, scholars, and administrators, contributing to the cultural and political tapestry of Japan over many centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nagatani

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

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

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

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