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

Shimoda, 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 Shimoda surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shimoda in America

Shimoda is the 51176th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shimoda surname appeared 407 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 Shimoda.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shimoda 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 Shimoda

The surname Shimoda is of Japanese origin, with roots dating back to the early Edo period (1603-1868) in Japan. It is believed to have originated from the town of Shimoda, located in the Izu Peninsula region of the Shizuoka Prefecture. The name is derived from the Japanese words "shimo" meaning "lower" and "da" meaning "rice paddy" or "field," suggesting that the original bearers of the name may have resided in a lowland area suitable for rice cultivation.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Shimoda surname can be found in the Izu Provincial Records, which date back to the late 17th century. These records documented various local families and their landholdings in the Izu region, including the Shimoda clan.

During the late Edo period, a notable figure bearing the Shimoda name was Shimoda Tōhaku (1787-1856), a renowned Japanese painter and calligrapher. His works, which combined traditional Japanese styles with influences from Chinese art, were highly regarded and are preserved in various museums and collections.

In the mid-19th century, the town of Shimoda gained historical significance as the site of the Convention of Kanagawa, a pivotal treaty signed in 1854 that opened Japan to trade with the United States and effectively ended the country's isolationist foreign policy. This event likely contributed to the wider recognition of the Shimoda surname beyond its local origins.

Another prominent individual with the Shimoda surname was Shimoda Utako (1854-1936), a pioneering educator and feminist activist. She played a crucial role in establishing Japan's first high school for girls and advocated for women's rights and education during the Meiji and Taisho eras.

In more recent times, Shimoda Masahiko (1916-1986) was a renowned Japanese novelist and essayist. His works, which often explored themes of human relationships and societal issues, earned him numerous literary awards and recognition throughout his prolific career.

While the Shimoda surname may have originated from a specific geographical location, its bearers have left their mark in various fields, including art, diplomacy, education, and literature, contributing to the rich cultural tapestry of Japan over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shimoda

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

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

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

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