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

Okabe, 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 Okabe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Okabe in America

Okabe is the 62714th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Okabe surname appeared 319 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 Okabe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Okabe 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 Okabe

The surname "OKABE" is a Japanese family name that originated in the Kyushu region of Japan. It is thought to have derived from the old Japanese word "oka," meaning "hill," and "be," meaning "dwelling place" or "home." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a family or clan that lived on or near a hill.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Okabe surname can be found in the Kamakura period (1185–1333) records from the Kumamoto Prefecture in Kyushu. These records document an Okabe clan that held significant influence and land in the region during that time.

In the Muromachi period (1336–1573), there are references to an Okabe samurai family serving under the Ouchi clan, a powerful feudal dynasty that ruled parts of western Japan. This suggests that the Okabe name had gained recognition and status by this point.

During the Edo period (1603–1868), the Okabe clan was recorded as having been based in the Hizen Province (present-day Saga Prefecture) on the island of Kyushu. Notably, an Okabe Nagayasu (1615–1692) was a prominent feudal lord and daimyo who ruled over the Kokura Domain in the late 17th century.

Another historically significant figure with the Okabe surname was Okabe Itsuki (1833–1909), a Japanese politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the late 19th century during the Meiji era.

Other notable individuals with the Okabe surname include Okabe Michiaki (1932–2003), a Japanese author and literary critic, and Okabe Aoi (born 1991), a contemporary Japanese actress and model.

Throughout its history, the Okabe surname has maintained a strong presence in the Kyushu region of Japan, with various branches and families bearing the name across different prefectures and areas. While the exact origins and etymological roots may be open to debate, the name's connection to the concept of a "hill dwelling" or "hill home" remains a plausible and commonly accepted explanation.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Okabe

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

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

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

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