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

Okuma, 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 Okuma surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Okuma in America

Okuma is the 57781st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Okuma surname appeared 352 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 Okuma.

We can also compare 2010 data for Okuma 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 Okuma

The surname Okuma originates from Japan, with roots dating back to the late 16th century. It is believed to derive from the Japanese word "okuma," which means "deep reverence" or "profound respect." This name was likely given to individuals who exhibited these traits or held positions of reverence within their communities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Okuma can be found in the Edo period (1603-1868) records of the Okuma family, a prominent samurai clan from the Ōtsu region of Shiga Prefecture. The Okuma clan played a significant role in the political and military affairs of the time, with several notable members serving as advisors and generals to various shogunates.

In the late 18th century, an Okuma scholar named Okuma Katsujiro (1732-1814) gained recognition for his contributions to the study of Confucian philosophy and his writings on ethics and governance. His works were widely circulated and influenced the intellectual discourse of the era.

During the Meiji Restoration (1868-1912), the name Okuma rose to national prominence with Okuma Shigenobu (1838-1922), a statesman and one of the principal architects of modern Japan. He served as the 8th and 17th Prime Minister of Japan and played a pivotal role in the country's transformation into a modern industrial state.

Another notable figure was Okuma Nobuyuki (1929-2012), a renowned economist and academic who served as the president of Hitotsubashi University and was a member of the cabinet of Prime Minister Zenko Suzuki in the 1980s. His contributions to economic theory and policy were significant.

In the world of sports, Okuma Tsutomu (1933-2007) was a Japanese professional baseball player and manager. He played for the Nankai Hawks and Hankyu Braves, and later managed the Hankyu Braves and Orix BlueWave teams, leading them to league championships.

The name Okuma has also been associated with various place names throughout Japan, such as Okuma City in Fukushima Prefecture and Okuma Village in Gunma Prefecture, further reinforcing its historical and geographical significance within the country.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Okuma

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

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

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

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