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

Oyama, 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 Oyama surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Oyama in America

Oyama is the 25640th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Oyama surname appeared 962 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 Oyama.

We can also compare 2010 data for Oyama 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 Oyama

The surname Oyama is of Japanese origin, with roots that can be traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the town of Oyama, located in the Tochigi Prefecture of Japan. The name itself is derived from the Japanese words "oi," meaning "big," and "yama," meaning "mountain," suggesting that the original bearers of this surname likely lived near or in the vicinity of a prominent mountain.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Oyama surname can be found in the Bakumatsu period (1853-1867), which marked the end of the Edo period and the beginning of the Meiji Restoration. During this time, the Oyama clan played a significant role in the political and military affairs of the region.

In the late 19th century, Isamu Oyama (1851-1911) was a prominent Japanese military officer who served as the Chief of the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff during the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905). His strategic leadership and tactical prowess were instrumental in Japan's victory over the Russian Empire.

Another notable figure with the Oyama surname was Masutatsu Oyama (1923-1994), a renowned Japanese karate master and founder of the Kyokushin karate style. He was known for his exceptional skill and discipline, and his teachings had a profound influence on the martial arts community worldwide.

In the realm of literature, Shiro Oyama (1920-2004) was a celebrated Japanese author and playwright. His works, which often explored themes of love, loss, and human nature, earned him numerous accolades, including the prestigious Akutagawa Prize in 1955.

Masaru Oyama (1923-1988) was a pioneering Japanese businessman who played a pivotal role in the development of the automotive industry. As the founder of Oyama Manufacturing Co., Ltd., he introduced innovative engineering solutions and contributed significantly to the growth of Japan's economy in the post-World War II era.

Lastly, Oyama Kaori (1931-2011) was a renowned Japanese actress who graced both the stage and the silver screen with her versatile performances. She was particularly acclaimed for her work in classical Kabuki theater and received numerous awards and honors throughout her illustrious career.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Oyama

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!