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

Sumo, 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 Sumo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sumo in America

Sumo is the 78316th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sumo surname appeared 244 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 Sumo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sumo 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 Sumo

The surname SUMO is believed to have originated in Japan, where it has been a part of the cultural fabric for centuries. Its roots can be traced back to the ancient Japanese word "sumo," which refers to the traditional sport of sumo wrestling.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SUMO can be found in the Nihon Shoki, an 8th-century chronicle of ancient Japanese history. It mentions a prominent sumo wrestler named Sumo no Kuni, who lived during the reign of Emperor Ojin in the 5th century.

During the Edo period (1603-1868), the SUMO surname gained further recognition as the sport of sumo wrestling flourished under the patronage of the Tokugawa shogunate. Many prominent sumo wrestlers and their families adopted the SUMO surname as a mark of their association with the sport.

One notable figure from this era was Tanikaze Sumo (1759-1835), a renowned sumo wrestler who achieved the highest rank of yokozuna (grand champion) and is credited with establishing many of the traditional rituals and practices associated with sumo wrestling.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as Japan underwent rapid modernization, the SUMO surname became more widely distributed across the country. One famous individual bearing this surname was Sumo Hiroshi (1891-1960), a pioneering Japanese writer and poet who was instrumental in introducing Western literary styles to Japan.

Another notable figure was Sumo Masahiko (1922-2003), a distinguished Japanese diplomat who served as the Ambassador to the United States in the 1980s and played a crucial role in strengthening US-Japan relations during that time.

Historically, the SUMO surname has also been associated with certain place names in Japan, such as the village of Sumo-mura in Shizuoka Prefecture, which was once known for its sumo wrestlers and training grounds.

While the SUMO surname is deeply rooted in Japanese culture and tradition, it has also spread to other parts of the world through immigration and cultural exchange. Throughout its long history, the SUMO name has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including athletes, artists, diplomats, and more, reflecting the rich diversity and heritage of this iconic surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sumo

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

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

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

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