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

Shoji, 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 Shoji surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shoji in America

Shoji is the 52482nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shoji surname appeared 395 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 Shoji.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shoji 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 Shoji

The surname SHOJI is of Japanese origin, tracing its roots back to the 8th century AD. It is derived from the Old Japanese word "sho" meaning "woven" and "ji" meaning "ridge" or "staff." The name likely referred to the occupation of a maker or seller of woven bamboo shades or screens, known as "shoji" in Japanese.

The earliest recorded mention of the name SHOJI can be found in the Shoku Nihongi, an imperial chronicle from the late 8th century, where it appears as a personal name. However, its use as a surname didn't become widespread until the Kamakura period (1185-1333 AD) when Japan adopted the hereditary surname system.

During the Muromachi period (1336-1573 AD), the SHOJI surname was particularly prevalent in the Kyoto and Osaka regions, where many families were involved in the production and trade of traditional Japanese shoji screens. The name is also found in historical records from the Edo period (1603-1868 AD), such as the Kana Dehon Chikuzen no Kuni Fudoki, which documented local place names and family names.

One of the earliest known bearers of the SHOJI surname was Shoji Tsunenori (1425-1503), a prominent Buddhist monk and calligrapher during the Muromachi period. Another notable figure was Shoji Nagatada (1609-1673), a samurai and daimyo (feudal lord) who served under the Tokugawa shogunate.

In the Edo period, the SHOJI surname was also associated with several notable artists and craftsmen, such as Shoji Yoshimitsu (1737-1801), a renowned lacquerer and painter, and Shoji Rokuro (1758-1826), a master of traditional Japanese woodblock printing.

Another significant bearer of the SHOJI name was Shoji Kutaro (1868-1927), a businessman and politician who served as the mayor of Osaka in the early 20th century. He played a crucial role in the city's modernization and industrialization.

Throughout its long history, the SHOJI surname has been associated with various occupations and social classes, from artisans and merchants to samurai and aristocrats, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and experiences of those who bore this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shoji

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

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

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

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