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

Nakashima, 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 Nakashima surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nakashima in America

Nakashima is the 16975th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nakashima surname appeared 1,674 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 Nakashima.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nakashima 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 Nakashima

The surname Nakashima originates from Japan and has its roots dating back to the 8th century. It is a combination of two Japanese words, "naka" meaning middle or center, and "shima" meaning island or land, suggesting that the name may have been derived from a place name referring to a central or middle island or land area.

The earliest known records of the Nakashima name can be traced back to the Heian period (794-1185 AD) in Japan, where it appeared in various historical documents and records. It is believed that the name may have been associated with samurai families or landowners during this time.

One notable figure bearing the Nakashima surname was Nakashima Nobuyuki (1909-1988), a renowned Japanese-American woodworker and architect. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the American craft movement and is known for his innovative furniture designs and use of natural materials.

Another prominent individual with the Nakashima name was Nakashima Mitsugu (1926-2003), a Japanese-American businessman and philanthropist. He co-founded the multinational electronics company Panasonic and played a crucial role in its global expansion.

In the literary world, Nakashima Naoki (1938-2018) was a celebrated Japanese novelist and essayist. He won numerous prestigious awards, including the Akutagawa Prize and the Tanizaki Prize, for his works exploring themes of human nature and societal issues.

The Nakashima surname can also be found in historical records from the Kamakura period (1185-1333 AD), where it appeared in various samurai family records and land ownership documents. During this time, the name may have been associated with influential families or landowners in central or island regions of Japan.

Another noteworthy figure was Nakashima Masanori (1857-1935), a Japanese educator and social reformer. He played a significant role in the modernization of Japan's educational system and advocated for the rights and education of women during the Meiji period.

While the Nakashima surname has its roots in Japan, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora. However, the historical references and notable figures mentioned above highlight the rich cultural and societal significance of this surname within Japanese history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nakashima

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

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

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

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