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

Onizuka, 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 Onizuka surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Onizuka in America

Onizuka is the 131379th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Onizuka surname appeared 129 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 Onizuka.

We can also compare 2010 data for Onizuka 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 Onizuka

The surname Onizuka has its origins in Japan, where it first emerged during the feudal period of the 12th to 19th centuries. The name is derived from the Japanese words "oni" meaning demon or ogre, and "zuka" meaning mound or hill. This suggests that the name likely referred to a person who lived near a hill or mound associated with ogres or demons in Japanese folklore.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Onizuka name appears in the Kamakura period (1185–1333) samurai records, where a warrior named Onizuka Takeshi is mentioned for his bravery in battle. Another notable individual was Onizuka Kiyohiro, a 16th-century Buddhist monk and calligrapher renowned for his exquisite brush work.

During the Edo period (1603–1867), the Onizuka family was prominent in the Iga region of present-day Mie Prefecture, where they served as skilled ninja and spies for various daimyo lords. One famous member was Onizuka Masahiro (1620–1697), who was said to have infiltrated enemy castles and acquired valuable intelligence through his stealth and cunning.

In the late 19th century, as Japan underwent rapid modernization, the Onizuka name began to spread beyond its traditional strongholds. Onizuka Tomotada (1845–1910) was a pioneering educator who established one of the first modern schools in Osaka, paving the way for the country's educational reforms.

Another notable figure was Onizuka Hiroshi (1892–1945), a renowned architect who designed several iconic buildings in Tokyo, including the former headquarters of the Mitsubishi Zaibatsu and the Nihon University College of Art.

In more recent times, the name gained international recognition with the astronaut Ellison Onizuka (1946–1986), the first Asian-American and the first Hawaiian to reach space. Tragically, he perished in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, but his legacy as a pioneering explorer lives on.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Onizuka

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

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

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

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