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

Saito, 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 Saito surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Saito in America

Saito is the 7613th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Saito surname appeared 4,367 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Saito.

We can also compare 2010 data for Saito 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 Saito

The surname "SAITO" is of Japanese origin, and its roots can be traced back to the 8th century AD during the Nara period. It is believed to have derived from the Japanese word "sai," meaning a narrow path or small road, and "to," meaning a village or settlement. Thus, the name Saito may have initially referred to a person or family living near a narrow path or small road.

In ancient Japanese records, variations of the name, such as "Saitou" and "Saitoh," can be found. The earliest known mention of the name Saito appears in the Shoku Nihongi, an imperial chronicle completed in 797 AD, where it referred to a family of samurai warriors who served the imperial court.

During the Kamakura period (1185-1333 AD), the Saito clan rose to prominence as a powerful samurai family in the Shinano Province (modern-day Nagano Prefecture). They were known for their military exploits and played a significant role in the political and military affairs of the time.

One of the most notable figures bearing the name Saito was Saito Dōsan (1494-1556), a powerful feudal lord during the Sengoku period. He was a skilled strategist and leader who expanded the Saito clan's territory and influence in the Mino Province (modern-day Gifu Prefecture).

Another prominent Saito was Saito Musashi-bo Benkei (1155-1189), a legendary warrior monk who served as the loyal retainer of the famous samurai Minamoto no Yoshitsune. Benkei's exploits and loyalty became the subject of numerous folktales and literary works.

In the Edo period (1603-1868), the Saito clan continued to hold significant power and influence as daimyo (feudal lords) in various domains, including Akita, Iyo (modern-day Ehime Prefecture), and Aizu (modern-day Fukushima Prefecture).

Saito Makoto (1858-1936) was a prominent statesman and politician during the Meiji and Taisho periods. He served as the Prime Minister of Japan from 1911 to 1912 and played a crucial role in modernizing Japan's government and legal system.

Saito Kiyoshi (1907-1997) was a renowned Japanese painter and printmaker known for his innovative woodblock prints and his contributions to the Sosaku Hanga movement, which emphasized artistic expression and individualism in Japanese printmaking.

Over the centuries, the surname Saito has spread across Japan, and its bearers have made significant contributions to various fields, including politics, literature, arts, and sciences.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Saito

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

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

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

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