2000
#11,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,434
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.90
Rare Last name
Okamoto
A Japanese surname meaning "hill origin" or "base of the hill," referring to a person's geographical roots.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,565 Americans carry the last name Okamoto. That puts it at #13,115 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.75 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 133,627 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Okamoto surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
2.6K
1 in 133,627
Census rank
#13,115
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,237 bearers of the surname Okamoto in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.75 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13115th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Okamoto, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 73.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (14.3%) and White (7.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Okamoto
The surname Okamoto is of Japanese origin, with roots dating back to the 8th century AD. It is derived from the combination of two Japanese words: "oka" meaning "hill" or "highland," and "moto" meaning "origin" or "source." This suggests that the name likely originated from a family or clan that hailed from a hilly or mountainous region.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Okamoto name can be found in the Shoku Nihongi, an imperial chronicle compiled in the late 8th century. It mentions an individual named Okamoto no Tsunenori, who served as a court official during the Nara period (710-794 AD).
During the Kamakura period (1185-1333 AD), the Okamoto family is believed to have been influential landowners in the Kanto region, particularly in the area now known as Saitama Prefecture. Historical records from this era indicate that the Okamoto clan played a significant role in local governance and military affairs.
In the 16th century, a samurai named Okamoto Kiyooki (1543-1610) gained recognition for his bravery and leadership during the Sengoku period. He served under the renowned warlord Tokugawa Ieyasu and played a crucial role in several battles, including the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, which marked the beginning of the Tokugawa shogunate.
Another notable figure with the Okamoto surname was Okamoto Toru (1810-1876), a scholar and educator who helped establish modern educational systems in Japan during the Meiji Restoration period. He was instrumental in introducing Western learning and teaching methods to Japan.
In the 20th century, Okamoto Taro (1911-1996) gained prominence as a renowned Japanese artist and sculptor. His works, such as the "Tower of the Sun" and "Myth of Tomorrow," are widely recognized for their unique and avant-garde style, reflecting his exploration of the human condition and the fusion of Eastern and Western artistic traditions.
While the Okamoto surname has its origins in Japan, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, the rich history and cultural significance of this name remain deeply rooted in its Japanese heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Okamoto
Among Census respondents with the surname Okamoto, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 73.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (14.3%) and White (7.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Okamoto bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Okamoto surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander73.5% · 1,645
- Two or more races14.3% · 321
- White7.9% · 177
- Hispanic or Latino3.7% · 83
- Black or African American0.5% · 11
Timeline
Historical Census data for Okamoto
Okamoto appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#12,944
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,373
-61 bearers (-2.5%)
Per 100,000 0.80
Rank movement Down 1,156 places
2020
#13,115
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,237
-136 bearers (-5.7%)
Per 100,000 0.75
Rank movement Down 171 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,788 | 2,434 | 0.90 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,944 | 2,373 | 0.80 | -61 bearers (-2.5%) | Down 1,156 places |
| 2020 | #13,115 | 2,237 | 0.75 | -136 bearers (-5.7%) | Down 171 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Okamoto surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #12,944 | #13,115 | -1.3% |
| Count | 2,373 | 2,237 | -5.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.80 | 0.75 | -6.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Okamoto bearers went from 2,373 to 2,237 (-5.7% change). The surname moved down 171 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,944 to #13,115.
FAQ
Okamoto surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Okamoto?
Name Census estimates that about 2,565 living Americans carry the surname Okamoto. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 133,627 residents.
How common is Okamoto?
Okamoto ranks #13,115 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.75 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,237 people with the surname Okamoto. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,565), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.75 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.75 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Okamoto.
Has Okamoto become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Okamoto went from 2,373 recorded bearers to 2,237. That is a decrease of 136 (-5.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #12,944 to #13,115.
What does the Census say about the background of Okamoto?
Among Census respondents with the surname Okamoto, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 73.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (14.3%) and White (7.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Okamoto in the 2020 Census, accounting for 73.5% (1,645 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Okamoto appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (73.5%), Two or More Races (14.3%), White (7.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Okamoto (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Okamoto mean?
A Japanese surname meaning "hill origin" or "base of the hill," referring to a person's geographical roots. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Okamoto (0.75 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Okamoto?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.