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

Shima, 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 Shima surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shima in America

Shima is the 34110th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shima surname appeared 666 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 Shima.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shima 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 Shima

The surname SHIMA originated in Japan, and its earliest recorded examples can be traced back to the 8th century CE. The name is believed to be derived from the Japanese word "shima," which means "island" or "stripe." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who lived on islands or coastal regions, or it may have been a descriptive name referring to a person's appearance or clothing.

One of the earliest recorded references to the SHIMA surname can be found in the Shoku Nihongi, an imperial chronicle completed in 797 CE, which mentions a person named SHIMA no Sukune. This individual was a high-ranking court official during the Nara period (710-794 CE) and played a significant role in the political and administrative affairs of the time.

During the Kamakura period (1185-1333 CE), the SHIMA surname gained prominence as several members of the family held important positions within the Kamakura shogunate. One notable figure was SHIMA Sakon Shogen (1278-1345), a renowned Zen Buddhist monk and poet who served as the chief abbot of the Engaku-ji temple in Kamakura.

In the late 16th century, SHIMA Sakon Yoshihiro (1540-1615) was a prominent daimyo (feudal lord) who served under the legendary warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi. He played a crucial role in the Siege of Odawara (1590) and was later granted the lordship of Akashi Domain in present-day Hyogo Prefecture.

Another notable individual with the SHIMA surname was SHIMA Zenko (1642-1691), a Buddhist monk and calligrapher who lived during the Edo period (1603-1868). He was renowned for his mastery of the Tensho style of calligraphy and served as the head priest of the Nanzen-ji temple in Kyoto.

In more recent history, SHIMA Hisashi (1907-1998) was a Japanese businessman and entrepreneur who founded the Shima Seiki Manufacturing Ltd., a leading manufacturer of computerized flat knitting machines. His innovative contributions to the textile industry earned him recognition both in Japan and internationally.

While the SHIMA surname has its roots in Japan, it has also been adopted by individuals of Japanese descent living in other parts of the world, such as the United States, Brazil, and other countries with significant Japanese communities. However, the historical and cultural significance of this surname remains closely tied to its Japanese origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shima

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

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

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

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