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

Osaka, 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 Osaka surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Osaka in America

Osaka is the 156044th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Osaka surname appeared 104 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 Osaka.

We can also compare 2010 data for Osaka 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 Osaka

The surname OSAKA is a Japanese place name that originated from the city of Osaka, located in the Kansai region of Japan. The name likely dates back to the 7th century AD when Osaka was first established as a strategic port settlement during the Asuka period.

The name OSAKA is thought to derive from the Japanese words "ōku" meaning "great" and "saka" meaning "slope" or "hill", referring to the geography of the area where the city was founded. It was initially written using the kanji characters 大阪, which translate to "large slope".

One of the earliest known references to the name OSAKA can be found in the Nihon Shoki, an 8th-century historical chronicle of Japan, which mentions the area as a prominent settlement during the reign of Emperor Kōtoku in the late 7th century.

In the 10th century, the Osaka region gained significance as a center for rice production and trade, contributing to the growth and prosperity of the city. During this time, the name OSAKA appeared in various records and documents related to agricultural and commercial activities in the area.

Notable historical figures with the surname OSAKA include:

1. Osaka Nobunaga (1534-1582), a prominent daimyo (feudal lord) during the Sengoku period, known for his military campaigns and unification efforts in Japan.

2. Osaka Hideyoshi (1537-1598), a renowned samurai and powerful ruler who succeeded Nobunaga and played a crucial role in the unification of Japan.

3. Osaka Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616), the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, which ruled Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868.

4. Osaka Murasaki Shikibu (c. 973 - c. 1014), a renowned Japanese novelist, poet, and author of the world's first novel, "The Tale of Genji".

5. Osaka Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582), a powerful daimyo and military leader who initiated the unification of Japan during the late 16th century.

Throughout history, the name OSAKA has been closely associated with the city's strategic location, economic importance, and cultural significance in Japan. The surname has carried the legacy of this prominent city and its influential role in shaping Japanese history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Osaka

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

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

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

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