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

Sonoda, 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 Sonoda surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sonoda in America

Sonoda is the 42511th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sonoda surname appeared 510 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 Sonoda.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sonoda 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 Sonoda

The surname Sonoda is of Japanese origin, with its roots tracing back to the 8th century AD. It is believed to have originated in the Kyushu region, particularly in the present-day Fukuoka Prefecture. The name Sonoda is derived from the Japanese words "sono" meaning "that" and "da" meaning "paddy field," indicating that the name was likely associated with a specific paddy field or area of agricultural land.

One of the earliest documented references to the Sonoda name can be found in the Shoku Nihongi, an imperial chronicle compiled in the late 8th century. This text mentions a person with the surname Sonoda who held an official position during the reign of Emperor Kammu (737-806 AD).

In the 12th century, the Sonoda family emerged as a prominent samurai clan in the Chikuzen Province (present-day Fukuoka Prefecture). They were known for their military prowess and loyal service to the ruling Shoguns. Sonoda Yoshitada (1164-1246) was a notable figure from this period, renowned for his skill in archery and horsemanship.

During the Sengoku period (15th-17th centuries), the Sonoda clan played a significant role in several battles and conflicts. Sonoda Nobushige (1539-1599) was a respected military commander who fought alongside the legendary warlord Tokugawa Ieyasu. He is remembered for his bravery and strategic acumen in battles such as the Siege of Odawara Castle in 1590.

In the Edo period (1603-1868), the Sonoda family continued to hold influential positions in various domains. Sonoda Masanari (1646-1709) was a notable daimyo (feudal lord) who ruled over the Kumamoto Domain in Kyushu. He was known for his contributions to infrastructure development and promotion of education in his domain.

Another prominent figure with the Sonoda surname was Sonoda Kazunari (1873-1938), a Japanese diplomat and statesman who served as the Ambassador to Germany and the United States in the early 20th century. He played a pivotal role in negotiating the Portsmouth Treaty, which ended the Russo-Japanese War in 1905.

Throughout history, the Sonoda name has also been associated with various artistic and cultural pursuits. Sonoda Kunisada (1786-1864) was a renowned ukiyo-e artist, known for his beautiful woodblock prints depicting kabuki actors and courtesans. Sonoda Jiro (1913-1988) was a celebrated Japanese playwright and novelist, whose works explored social and cultural themes of post-war Japan.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sonoda

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

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

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

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