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

Oshima, 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 Oshima surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Oshima in America

Oshima is the 34185th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Oshima surname appeared 664 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 Oshima.

We can also compare 2010 data for Oshima 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 Oshima

The surname Oshima originated in Japan and dates back several centuries. It is derived from the Japanese words "oshima," meaning "big island" or "great island." This suggests that the name may have originated from families living on or near one of Japan's larger islands, such as Honshu, Kyushu, or Shikoku.

The name Oshima can be traced back to the Kamakura period (1185-1333) in Japan's history. During this time, surnames were becoming more widespread, and families would often adopt names based on their locations, occupations, or physical characteristics. The Oshima name likely emerged from a family residing on a prominent island or coastal area.

Records from the Muromachi period (1336-1573) show the Oshima name appearing in various historical documents and manuscripts. One notable reference is found in the "Taiheiki," a Japanese war chronicle that mentions an Oshima samurai warrior who fought in the Nanboku-chō Wars (1336-1392).

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Oshima surname was Oshima Masayuki (1497-1573), a prominent Daimyo (feudal lord) during the Sengoku period (1467-1615). He ruled over the Oshima Domain in present-day Yamaguchi Prefecture and was known for his military prowess and loyalty to the Mōri clan.

Another famous bearer of the Oshima name was Oshima Toyo (1627-1705), a renowned Japanese poet and calligrapher during the Edo period (1603-1868). Her poetry and calligraphic works were highly regarded and influential in the literary circles of her time.

In the 19th century, Oshima Shigeru (1819-1876) was a prominent Japanese scholar and translator who played a crucial role in introducing Western science and technology to Japan during the Bakumatsu period (1853-1867).

During the Meiji era (1868-1912), Oshima Hiroshi (1858-1914) was a notable military officer who served in the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895) and the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905). He rose to the rank of Lieutenant General and was highly respected for his leadership and strategic abilities.

One of the most influential figures with the Oshima surname in modern times was Oshima Nagisa (1932-2023), a renowned Japanese film director and screenwriter. His works, such as "In the Realm of the Senses" and "Empire of Passion," explored controversial themes and pushed boundaries in Japanese cinema.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Oshima

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

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

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

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