2000
#126,400
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 125
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Okayama
A Japanese surname derived from the name of the city Okayama.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 118 Americans carry the last name Okayama. That puts it at #154,182 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,904,698 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Okayama 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
118
1 in 2,904,698
Census rank
#154,182
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
103
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 103 bearers of the surname Okayama in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154182nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Okayama, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 78.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.7%) and White (6.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Okayama
The surname Okayama originates from Japan and its earliest recorded use dates back to the 8th century AD. It is derived from the Japanese words "oka" meaning "hill" and "yama" meaning "mountain", indicating that the name likely originated from a geographic location with hilly or mountainous terrain.
Okayama was historically prevalent in the Okayama Prefecture of western Japan, particularly in the areas around the city of Okayama, which served as a center of regional power during the Edo period (1603-1868). The name can be found in historical records and documents from this era, suggesting its long-standing presence in the region.
One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Okayama was Okayama Masayoshi, a samurai warrior who lived in the late 16th century. He was known for his loyalty and bravery in service to the Mori clan, a powerful feudal family of the time.
Another notable figure was Okayama Kiyokata, a renowned poet and scholar of the 18th century. Born in 1734 and dying in 1804, he was celebrated for his contributions to the study and preservation of classical Japanese literature and poetry.
In the 19th century, Okayama Nagasuke, born in 1820 and dying in 1891, was a prominent businessman and industrialist. He played a significant role in the modernization and industrialization of Japan during the Meiji era (1868-1912).
Okayama Kyozan, born in 1868 and dying in 1936, was a respected Buddhist monk and calligrapher. He was known for his exceptional calligraphic works and his efforts in promoting traditional Japanese arts and culture.
Lastly, Okayama Yoshiko, born in 1904 and dying in 1992, was a renowned author and poet. Her works often explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition, and she was widely celebrated for her unique literary style and poetic voice.
These are just a few examples of individuals bearing the surname Okayama who have left their mark on Japanese history and culture over the centuries. The name's origins and historical significance are deeply rooted in the geography and cultural heritage of Japan.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Okayama
Among Census respondents with the surname Okayama, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 78.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.7%) and White (6.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Okayama 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 Okayama surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander78.6% · 81
- Two or more races8.7% · 9
- White6.8% · 7
- Hispanic or Latino5.8% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Okayama
Okayama 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
#143,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
-9 bearers (-7.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 16,749 places
2020
#154,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-13 bearers (-11.2%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 11,033 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #126,400 | 125 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #143,149 | 116 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.2%) | Down 16,749 places |
| 2020 | #154,182 | 103 | 0.03 | -13 bearers (-11.2%) | Down 11,033 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 Okayama 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 | #143,149 | #154,182 | -7.7% |
| Count | 116 | 103 | -11.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Okayama bearers went from 116 to 103 (-11.2% change). The surname moved down 11,033 positions in the national ranking, going from #143,149 to #154,182.
FAQ
Okayama surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Okayama?
Name Census estimates that about 118 living Americans carry the surname Okayama. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,904,698 residents.
How common is Okayama?
Okayama ranks #154,182 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 103 people with the surname Okayama. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (118), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Okayama.
Has Okayama become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Okayama went from 116 recorded bearers to 103. That is a decrease of 13 (-11.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #143,149 to #154,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Okayama?
Among Census respondents with the surname Okayama, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 78.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.7%) and White (6.8%). 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 Okayama in the 2020 Census, accounting for 78.6% (81 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Okayama appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (78.6%), Two or More Races (8.7%), White (6.8%). 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 Okayama (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 Okayama mean?
A Japanese surname derived from the name of the city Okayama. 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 Okayama (0.03 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 people are called Okayama?
If you just want to know how many Americans have the surname Okayama, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.