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

Oji, 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 Oji surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Oji in America

Oji is the 68547th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Oji surname appeared 287 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 Oji.

We can also compare 2010 data for Oji 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 Oji

The surname Oji is believed to have originated in Japan, with its earliest records dating back to the 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Japanese word "oji," which means "prince" or "lord." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to individuals who held positions of power or authority within their communities.

One of the earliest known references to the name Oji can be found in the "Azuma Kagami," a historical record from the Kamakura period (1185-1333). This document chronicles the lives and events of the samurai class during that era, and it is possible that some individuals mentioned therein carried the surname Oji.

During the Edo period (1603-1868), the name Oji appeared in various regional records and manuscripts, particularly in the areas around the former provinces of Musashi (present-day Tokyo and Saitama) and Hitachi (part of modern-day Ibaraki Prefecture). This suggests that the name may have been more prevalent in these regions.

One notable individual with the surname Oji was Oji Masahiro (1785-1858), a samurai and scholar who lived during the late Edo period. He was known for his expertise in Confucian studies and served as a tutor to several prominent daimyo families.

Another historical figure with this surname was Oji Nobutada (1558-1625), a Japanese daimyo who ruled over the Aizu domain (present-day Fukushima Prefecture) during the Sengoku and early Edo periods. He was known for his loyalty to the Tokugawa shogunate and played a role in suppressing several uprisings against the Shogun's rule.

In the 19th century, Oji Takehisa (1826-1891) was a notable samurai and politician who served as a council member in the Meiji government after the Restoration of 1868. He was instrumental in the transition from the Tokugawa shogunate to the modern imperial state.

During the Kamakura period, the name Oji may have been associated with certain place names, such as Oji-dono (present-day Oji Station in Tokyo) or Oji-ga-oka (a former settlement in Tochigi Prefecture). However, the exact origins and connections between the surname and these place names are not entirely clear.

Lastly, Oji Masayuki (1923-2008) was a Japanese businessman and philanthropist who served as the chairman of the Oji Paper Company, one of the largest paper manufacturing companies in Japan. He was known for his contributions to the industry and his support for various cultural and educational initiatives.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Oji

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

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

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

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