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

Okada, 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 Okada surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Okada in America

Okada is the 14893rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Okada surname appeared 1,987 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 Okada.

We can also compare 2010 data for Okada 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 Okada

The surname "OKADA" is of Japanese origin, originating in the late 8th century CE. It is thought to have originated from the Japanese words "oka" meaning "hill" or "small mountain" and "da" meaning "rice paddy field." Thus, the name likely referred to a person who lived in a hilly region surrounded by rice fields.

The earliest recorded mention of the name Okada can be found in the Shoku Nihongi, an early Japanese chronicle dating back to the late 8th century. This text mentions an individual named Okada no Takamochi, who served as a government official during the Nara period (710-794 CE).

During the Kamakura period (1185-1333 CE), the Okada family was known to be a prominent clan of samurai warriors hailing from the Izu Province, located in present-day Shizuoka Prefecture. One notable figure from this clan was Okada Yoshimasa (1319-1388), a skilled military strategist who served under the Ashikaga shogunate.

In the 16th century, the Okada name gained further prominence with the rise of Okada Masahiro (1518-1590), a wealthy merchant and landowner in the Edo region (now Tokyo). His descendants went on to establish a successful business empire that spanned generations.

Another noteworthy individual with the surname Okada was Okada Keisuke (1868-1952), a pioneering aviator who is credited with designing and building Japan's first successful aircraft in 1910. He played a crucial role in the development of Japan's aviation industry in the early 20th century.

In more recent times, the name Okada is associated with Okada Kazuo (1904-1962), a renowned Japanese sculptor known for his avant-garde works that blended traditional and modern styles. His sculptures can be found in various museums and public spaces across Japan.

While the surname Okada has its roots in Japan, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and intermarriages. However, the majority of individuals bearing this surname can still trace their ancestry back to Japan.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Okada

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

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

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

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