2000
#131,366
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Shigemoto
A Japanese surname meaning "luxuriant source" or "abundant origin."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 114 Americans carry the last name Shigemoto. That puts it at #156,005 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,006,617 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Shigemoto surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
114
1 in 3,006,617
Census rank
#156,005
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
99
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 99 bearers of the surname Shigemoto in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156005th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Shigemoto, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 78.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (14.1%) and White (5.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Shigemoto
The surname SHIGEMOTO is of Japanese origin, with roots tracing back to the 8th century during the Nara period of ancient Japan. It is derived from the Japanese words "shige," meaning prosperous or flourishing, and "moto," signifying origin or source. This combination suggests that the name may have been given to individuals or families associated with prosperity, wealth, or a prosperous lineage.
One of the earliest known references to the SHIGEMOTO name can be found in the Shoku Nihongi, an imperial chronicle compiled in the late 8th century. This historical text mentions a noble family bearing the surname, indicating their prominence and influence during that era.
In the 12th century, during the Kamakura shogunate, records indicate a SHIGEMOTO clan wielding considerable power and influence in the Kanto region of central Japan. This clan was known for its expertise in military tactics and its loyalty to the Minamoto clan, one of the most influential samurai clans of the time.
A notable figure bearing the SHIGEMOTO name was Shigemoto no Dōjo (1194-1253), a skilled swordsman and strategist who served as a trusted advisor to the first Kamakura shogun, Minamoto no Yoritomo. Dōjo's teachings and strategies were highly regarded and had a lasting impact on the art of warfare in medieval Japan.
During the Muromachi period (1336-1573), the SHIGEMOTO name continued to be associated with samurai families and military leaders. One prominent individual was Shigemoto Masatsune (1445-1518), a skilled archer and tactician who played a crucial role in the battles of the Sengoku period, a time of intense civil war and clan conflicts.
In the Edo period (1603-1868), the SHIGEMOTO name appeared in various domains and regions, often associated with scholarly pursuits or administrative roles within the Tokugawa shogunate. Notably, Shigemoto Sakurayama (1705-1772) was a renowned poet and calligrapher who served as a court advisor to the Tokugawa shoguns.
Other notable figures bearing the SHIGEMOTO surname include Shigemoto Genshi (1719-1784), a prominent scholar and educator who contributed significantly to the spread of Confucian teachings in Japan, and Shigemoto Kiyokado (1812-1888), a respected artist and painter during the late Edo period.
While the SHIGEMOTO name has its origins in ancient Japan, it has since spread to various regions and countries, with individuals bearing this surname making valuable contributions across various fields, from warfare and politics to art and academia.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Shigemoto
Among Census respondents with the surname Shigemoto, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 78.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (14.1%) and White (5.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Shigemoto bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Shigemoto surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander78.8% · 78
- Two or more races14.1% · 14
- White5.1% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino2.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Shigemoto
Shigemoto appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#143,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
-3 bearers (-2.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,783 places
2020
#156,005
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 99
-17 bearers (-14.7%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 12,856 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #131,366 | 119 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #143,149 | 116 | 0.04 | -3 bearers (-2.5%) | Down 11,783 places |
| 2020 | #156,005 | 99 | 0.03 | -17 bearers (-14.7%) | Down 12,856 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Shigemoto surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #143,149 | #156,005 | -9.0% |
| Count | 116 | 99 | -14.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -17.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Shigemoto bearers went from 116 to 99 (-14.7% change). The surname moved down 12,856 positions in the national ranking, going from #143,149 to #156,005.
FAQ
Shigemoto surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Shigemoto?
Name Census estimates that about 114 living Americans carry the surname Shigemoto. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,006,617 residents.
How common is Shigemoto?
Shigemoto ranks #156,005 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 99 people with the surname Shigemoto. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (114), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Shigemoto.
Has Shigemoto become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Shigemoto went from 116 recorded bearers to 99. That is a decrease of 17 (-14.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #143,149 to #156,005.
What does the Census say about the background of Shigemoto?
Among Census respondents with the surname Shigemoto, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 78.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (14.1%) and White (5.1%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Shigemoto in the 2020 Census, accounting for 78.8% (78 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Shigemoto appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (78.8%), Two or More Races (14.1%), White (5.1%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Shigemoto (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Shigemoto mean?
A Japanese surname meaning "luxuriant source" or "abundant origin." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Shigemoto (0.03 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Shigemoto?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the surname Shigemoto at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.