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

Nishimoto, 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 Nishimoto surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nishimoto in America

Nishimoto is the 20829th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nishimoto surname appeared 1,267 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 Nishimoto.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nishimoto 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 Nishimoto

The surname Nishimoto originated in Japan, tracing its roots back to the early 9th century. It is a locational name, derived from the Japanese words "nishi" meaning "west" and "moto" meaning "source" or "origin." This suggests that the name likely referred to a person or family who hailed from a western region or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nishimoto can be found in the Shoku Nihongi, an imperial chronicle completed in 797 AD. The text mentions a nobleman named Nishimoto no Sukune, who served as a provincial governor during the Nara period (710-794 AD).

During the Kamakura period (1185-1333 AD), the Nishimoto clan emerged as a prominent samurai family in the Chūgoku region of western Japan. They were known for their military prowess and loyalty to the Shōgunate. Notably, Nishimoto Masatsune (1239-1292) was a revered warrior who distinguished himself in battles against the Mongolian invasions of Japan.

In the Edo period (1603-1868 AD), the Nishimoto family produced several notable scholars and artists. Nishimoto Shōgetsu (1629-1701) was a renowned haiku poet and calligrapher, while Nishimoto Tōyō (1648-1705) was a celebrated painter and lacquerware artist.

Other notable individuals with the surname Nishimoto include Nishimoto Shōgo (1828-1856), a samurai and rebel leader who played a significant role in the Anti-Shogunate Movement during the Bakumatsu period. Nishimoto Kizō (1866-1924) was a pioneering educator and founder of the Nishimoto Gakuen, a prestigious private school in Osaka.

In more recent times, Nishimoto Masahiro (1923-2009) was a renowned architect known for his innovative and sustainable designs, while Nishimoto Yuri (born 1976) is a popular Japanese actress and television personality.

Throughout its history, the surname Nishimoto has been closely associated with Japan's cultural and historical traditions, reflecting the values of honor, loyalty, and artistic expression.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nishimoto

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

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

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

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