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

Shirota, 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 Shirota surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shirota in America

Shirota is the 134712th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shirota surname appeared 125 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 Shirota.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shirota 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 Shirota

The surname SHIROTA is of Japanese origin, originating in the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the Ishikawa Prefecture region on the island of Honshu. The name is derived from the Japanese words "shiro" meaning "castle" and "ta" meaning "rice paddy" or "field". This suggests that the name may have originated from a family or clan that lived near or owned a castle surrounded by rice paddies.

One of the earliest recorded references to the SHIROTA name can be found in the Kaga-han records from the late 16th century. These records were kept by the local feudal lords and documented families and households within their domains. The name appears to have been prevalent among samurai families and minor nobility in the Kaga region during this time.

In the 17th century, a prominent SHIROTA family is mentioned in the diaries of the famous Japanese poet and scholar, Matsuo Basho. During his travels through the Ishikawa Prefecture, Basho documented staying at the SHIROTA family's residence and praised their hospitality.

The earliest known individual with the SHIROTA surname is Shirota Masahiro (1543-1612), a samurai and military commander who served under the powerful Maeda clan during the Sengoku period. He was known for his bravery and leadership in several battles.

Another notable SHIROTA was Shirota Tokuichi (1768-1842), a wealthy merchant and landowner from the city of Kanazawa. He was influential in the development of the city's textile industry and is credited with establishing several successful silk and cotton weaving workshops.

In the 19th century, Shirota Tokujo (1803-1877) was a prominent scholar and educator who established one of the first modern schools in Japan. His teachings and writings on philosophy and ethics were highly influential during the Meiji period.

The SHIROTA name also has ties to the world of Japanese art and culture. Shirota Kinko (1887-1971) was a renowned traditional woodblock print artist and painter, known for her exquisite depictions of landscapes and natural scenes.

Finally, Shirota Masao (1910-1983) was a celebrated Japanese author and playwright. His works often explored themes of tradition and modernity, and he is considered one of the most influential writers of the 20th century in Japan.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shirota

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

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

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

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