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

Nakayama, 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 Nakayama surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nakayama in America

Nakayama is the 18734th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nakayama surname appeared 1,465 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 Nakayama.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nakayama 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 Nakayama

The surname Nakayama is of Japanese origin, deriving from a place name that first emerged during the Edo period (1603-1867). The name is comprised of two kanji characters: "naka" meaning "middle" or "inside", and "yama" meaning "mountain". Thus, the literal translation of the name is "middle mountain" or "mountain in the middle".

In the early years of the Edo period, Japan saw a rise in the practice of using surnames derived from geographical locations. As the country's feudal system solidified, families began adopting surnames based on the names of villages, towns, or natural features near their ancestral homes. Nakayama likely originated as a reference to a specific mountain or mountainous area situated within or surrounded by other geographic features.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nakayama can be found in the Azuma Kagami, a historical chronicle compiled in the 14th century. The text mentions a samurai warrior named Nakayama Moritoki, who lived during the late Kamakura period (1185-1333). Moritoki was a retainer of the powerful Hojo clan and played a role in several military campaigns of the time.

In the 16th century, another notable figure bearing the Nakayama name emerged: Nakayama Nobuchika (1525-1581). Nobuchika was a daimyo (feudal lord) who ruled over the Nakayama Domain in present-day Yamagata Prefecture. He was a skilled military strategist and played a significant role in the battles that led to the unification of Japan under the Tokugawa shogunate.

During the Edo period, the Nakayama family continued to hold influential positions in various regions of Japan. One prominent example is Nakayama Yasutaka (1659-1717), a scholar and mathematician who made significant contributions to the field of wasan (Japanese mathematics). His works on calculus and algebraic equations were highly regarded and helped advance mathematical studies in Japan.

Another notable figure was Nakayama Hikosaburo (1776-1838), a samurai and scholar who served as a senior retainer to the Tokugawa shogunate. Hikosaburo was known for his expertise in Neo-Confucian philosophy and played a crucial role in the shogunate's efforts to promote Confucian learning and values.

In the late 19th century, during the Meiji Restoration, the Nakayama family produced several influential figures in the political and military spheres. One such individual was Nakayama Toshiko (1853-1919), a statesman and diplomat who served as the governor of several prefectures and played a key role in the modernization of Japan's administrative systems.

These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals throughout history who have borne the surname Nakayama. While the name originated as a reference to a specific geographic location, it has since become widely dispersed throughout Japan and has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including warriors, scholars, politicians, and more.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nakayama

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

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

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

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