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

Shiro, 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 Shiro surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shiro in America

Shiro is the 107134th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shiro surname appeared 166 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 Shiro.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shiro 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 Shiro

The surname SHIRO originated in Japan during the late 16th century. It is a locational name derived from the Japanese word "shiro" which means "castle" or "fortress". The name likely referred to someone who lived near or worked at a local castle.

SHIRO is believed to have first appeared in historical records from the Edo period (1603-1868) when many Japanese families adopted surnames. One of the earliest documented examples is Shiro Tokugawa, a prominent samurai and daimyo (feudal lord) who lived from 1545 to 1595.

Another notable individual with the surname SHIRO was Shiro Ishii (1892-1959), a Japanese military physician and microbiologist who led the infamous Unit 731 during World War II, conducting unethical human experiments and developing biological weapons.

In the 19th century, Shiro Nishi (1827-1897) was a renowned Japanese statesman and diplomat who played a crucial role in the Meiji Restoration and the modernization of Japan. He served as the first Chief Minister of the Imperial Household Ministry.

A more recent example is Shiro Samurai (1923-2008), a Japanese actor and martial artist who appeared in numerous films and television shows, often portraying samurai characters.

Shiro Murata (1926-2022) was a Japanese businesswoman and entrepreneur who co-founded the electronics company Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. She is credited with pioneering the development of ceramic capacitors, which revolutionized the electronics industry.

While the surname SHIRO has its roots in Japan, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in Japanese culture and language.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shiro

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

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

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

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