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

Nakabayashi, 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 Nakabayashi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nakabayashi in America

Nakabayashi is the 126765th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nakabayashi surname appeared 135 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 Nakabayashi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nakabayashi 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 Nakabayashi

The surname Nakabayashi originates from Japan, with its roots tracing back to the feudal era of Japanese history. The name itself is a combination of two distinct Japanese words: "naka," meaning "middle" or "center," and "bayashi," which refers to a grove or forest of Japanese horse chestnut trees.

During the Edo period (1603-1867), when surnames became more widely adopted in Japan, the name Nakabayashi likely emerged as a descriptive identifier for individuals living in settlements located amidst groves of horse chestnut trees. Alternatively, it may have been a locational surname derived from a specific place name containing these elements.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Nakabayashi name can be found in the historical records of the Tokugawa shogunate, which ruled over Japan during the Edo period. These records document a minor samurai clan bearing the Nakabayashi surname, originating from the region now known as Shizuoka Prefecture.

Interestingly, there are also references to a Buddhist temple called Nakabayashi-dera, located in the mountainous regions of present-day Gifu Prefecture. This temple, dating back to the Kamakura period (1185-1333), may have played a role in the dissemination of the Nakabayashi name among local populations.

Throughout Japanese history, several notable individuals have carried the Nakabayashi surname. One such figure was Nakabayashi Kinnosuke (1866-1942), a prominent educator and principal of the prestigious Tokyo Higher Normal School (now Tsukuba University) during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Another notable bearer of the name was Nakabayashi Riki (1892-1979), a politician and member of the House of Representatives in the pre-World War II era. He served as the Minister of Education and the Minister of Justice during his political career.

In the realm of literature, Nakabayashi Michio (1932-2016) was a celebrated Japanese novelist and essayist, known for his works exploring themes of identity, memory, and the human condition. His novel "Sekai no hate" (The End of the World) received critical acclaim and was awarded the prestigious Akutagawa Prize in 1969.

The world of sports also saw the achievements of Nakabayashi Sachiko (born 1972), a former professional tennis player who represented Japan in international competitions. She reached a career-high ranking of No. 47 in the world and won two singles titles on the WTA Tour.

Lastly, Nakabayashi Takahiro (born 1976) is a contemporary Japanese artist renowned for his intricate and mesmerizing kinetic sculptures. His works, which often incorporate elements of nature and technology, have been exhibited in galleries and museums around the globe.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nakabayashi

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

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

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

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