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

Suwa, 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 Suwa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Suwa in America

Suwa is the 137327th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Suwa surname appeared 122 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 Suwa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Suwa 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 Suwa

The surname SUWA is believed to have originated in Japan. It is derived from the Japanese word 'suwa', which means 'marsh' or 'swamp'. The name likely originated in the Suwa region of Nagano Prefecture, which is known for its wetlands and marshes.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SUWA can be found in the Shoku Nihongi, an imperial chronicle compiled in the 8th century AD. This text mentions a family of nobles from the Suwa region who held significant influence in the imperial court during the Nara period (710-794 AD).

During the Kamakura period (1185-1333 AD), the SUWA clan emerged as a prominent samurai family in the Suwa region. They were known for their military prowess and their loyalty to the Hojo clan, who ruled as the de facto rulers of Japan during this time.

In the 14th century, a famous Buddhist monk named Suwa Yorishige (1272-1352) became renowned for his teachings and his role in the reconstruction of the Suwa Grand Shrine, one of the oldest and most significant Shinto shrines in Japan.

Another notable figure bearing the SUWA surname was Suwa Yorimichi (1521-1589), a skilled military commander who served under the powerful warlord Oda Nobunaga during the Sengoku period (1467-1615). Suwa Yorimichi played a crucial role in several battles and was renowned for his strategic acumen.

In the Edo period (1603-1868), the SUWA clan continued to hold significant influence in the Suwa region, serving as local lords and administrators under the Tokugawa shogunate.

During the Meiji era (1868-1912), several individuals with the SUWA surname made notable contributions in various fields. Suwa Hiromi (1833-1917) was a prominent educator who played a pivotal role in the establishment of Japan's modern education system, while Suwa Jitsumen (1879-1936) was a renowned painter and printmaker whose works captured the essence of traditional Japanese art.

It is worth noting that the SUWA surname is also found in other parts of Japan, indicating that people from the Suwa region may have migrated to different areas over time, carrying their surname with them.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Suwa

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

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

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

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