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

Sakai, 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 Sakai surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sakai in America

Sakai is the 13334th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sakai surname appeared 2,287 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 Sakai.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sakai 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 Sakai

The surname Sakai originated from Japan and dates back to ancient times. It is believed to have derived from the city of Sakai, located in Osaka Prefecture. This city was a prominent trading hub during the Kamakura period (1185-1333) and was known for its textile industry.

The name Sakai may have its roots in the Japanese word "saka," which means "slope" or "hill." This could indicate that the name initially referred to someone who lived on a hillside or near a sloped area. Alternatively, it may have been derived from the verb "saku," meaning "to bloom" or "to flourish," suggesting a connection to agriculture or horticulture.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Sakai name can be found in the Kamakura-era text "Azuma Kagami" (Mirror of the East), which chronicles the history of the Kamakura shogunate. This text mentions a samurai named Sakai Yoritsuna, who lived in the 13th century and served under the Hojo clan.

During the Sengoku period (1467-1615), a notable figure named Sakai Masahiro (1528-1586) gained recognition as a skilled military strategist and advisor to the powerful warlord Oda Nobunaga. Sakai Masahiro played a crucial role in several battles and is remembered for his strategic acumen.

In the Edo period (1603-1868), the Sakai clan established itself as a prominent family of samurai warriors and administrators. One notable member was Sakai Tadayo (1662-1726), who served as a daimyo (feudal lord) and governed the Hiroshima domain during the early 18th century.

Another significant figure bearing the Sakai name was Sakai Masayo (1776-1848), a renowned scholar and educator during the late Edo period. He established a private academy called the Kangien and contributed to the advancement of education and intellectual pursuits.

In the modern era, the Sakai surname has been carried by numerous accomplished individuals, including Sakai Toshihiko (1870-1933), a prominent businessman and industrialist who played a pivotal role in the development of Japan's steel industry.

Throughout its history, the Sakai surname has been associated with various place names, such as Sakai City in Osaka Prefecture, Sakai District in Fukui Prefecture, and Sakai Village in Ibaraki Prefecture, among others. These place names likely originated from the same linguistic roots as the surname itself.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sakai

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

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

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

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