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

Otsuki, 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 Otsuki surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Otsuki in America

Otsuki is the 105079th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Otsuki surname appeared 170 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 Otsuki.

We can also compare 2010 data for Otsuki 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 Otsuki

The surname Otsuki is of Japanese origin, and it can be traced back to the 8th century AD. It is believed to have originated from a combination of two words: "otsu," which means "port" or "harbor," and "ki," which means "tree" or "wood." This suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals who lived near a port or harbor surrounded by trees or forests.

During the Heian period (794-1185 AD), the Otsuki name was recorded in various historical documents and records, particularly those related to the imperial court and aristocracy. One notable example is the Otsuki family, a prominent samurai clan from the Kyoto region, whose members served as vassals and retainers to the imperial household.

In the 12th century, the name Otsuki appeared in the "Shin Kokin Wakashū," an influential anthology of Japanese waka poetry compiled by Emperor Go-Toba. This reference suggests that individuals with the Otsuki surname may have been involved in literary and cultural pursuits during that era.

The earliest recorded example of the Otsuki surname can be found in the "Azuma Kagami" (Mirror of the East), a historical chronicle documenting events in the Kamakura shogunate from 1180 to 1266. The text mentions an individual named Otsuki Morinaga, who served as a military commander and advisor to Minamoto no Yoritomo, the first shogun of the Kamakura period.

Another notable figure with the Otsuki surname was Otsuki Gentaku (1757-1827), a renowned scholar and physician who made significant contributions to the study of Western medicine in Japan. He is credited with introducing modern medical practices and establishing Japan's first academic medical institution, the Shoheizaka Gakumonjo.

During the Edo period (1603-1868), the Otsuki family maintained a prominent presence in various domains and regional areas. One such example is Otsuki Masataka (1663-1732), a Confucian scholar and educator who served as a tutor to the Tokugawa shogunate's ruling family.

In more recent history, Otsuki Fumihiko (1847-1928) was a influential politician and diplomat who played a significant role in the modernization of Japan during the Meiji era. He served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and contributed to the establishment of Japan's diplomatic relations with various countries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Otsuki

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

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

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

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