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

Nakata, 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 Nakata surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nakata in America

Nakata is the 15912th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nakata surname appeared 1,826 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 Nakata.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nakata 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 Nakata

The surname NAKATA has its origins in Japan, with the earliest records dating back to the 8th century AD. It is derived from the Japanese words "naka" meaning "inside" and "ta" meaning "rice paddy" or "field." This suggests that the name may have originated from a person or family who lived or worked in the inner rice fields of a village or town.

In ancient Japanese records, the name is sometimes spelled as "Nakada" or "Nakatera." These variations likely stem from regional dialects or differences in pronunciation over time. One of the earliest documented references to the name NAKATA can be found in the Shoku Nihongi, an imperial chronicle compiled in the late 8th century.

The NAKATA name has been associated with several notable figures throughout Japanese history. In the 12th century, Nakata Masahiro (1138-1215) was a prominent samurai and military commander who served under the Minamoto clan during the Genpei War. His exploits were recorded in the Heike Monogatari, a famous literary work depicting the struggle between the Minamoto and Taira clans.

During the Edo period (1603-1868), the NAKATA family held significant influence in the Tosa Domain (present-day Kochi Prefecture). Nakata Nobuyoshi (1619-1690) was a skilled administrator and scholar who served as a senior retainer to the Yamauchi clan, the ruling daimyo of Tosa.

In more recent times, Nakata Masaru (1901-1992) was a renowned painter and printmaker known for his vivid depictions of traditional Japanese life and landscapes. His works can be found in numerous art museums and collections worldwide.

Another notable figure was Nakata Bunshiro (1876-1944), a pioneering educator and philosopher who advocated for progressive educational reforms in Japan. He founded the Nakata Bunshiro Juku, a prominent private school that emphasized critical thinking and a well-rounded education.

While the NAKATA name has its roots in Japan, it has also spread to other parts of the world due to migration and globalization. However, its historical significance and connections to Japanese culture and traditions remain deeply ingrained in its origins and evolution.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nakata

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

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

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

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