2000
#29,625
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 750
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.28
Very Rare Last name
Takagi
A Japanese surname meaning "tall tree" or "high wooden structure".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 765 Americans carry the last name Takagi. That puts it at #36,150 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.22 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 448,045 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Takagi surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
765
1 in 448,045
Census rank
#36,150
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
667
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 667 bearers of the surname Takagi in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.22 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 36150th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Takagi, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 74.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.5%) and White (9.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Takagi
The surname Takagi has its origins in Japan and dates back several centuries. It is believed to have originated from a place name, as was common with many Japanese surnames. The name may be derived from the words "taka," meaning "tall" or "high," and "gi," meaning "tree" or "forest." This suggests that the name could be associated with a location characterized by tall trees or a forested, elevated area.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Takagi surname can be found in the Kamakura period (1185-1333), when it appeared in various historical documents and records of the time. During this era, Japan was governed by the Kamakura Shogunate, and surnames became more widespread among the samurai class and other prominent families.
In the Muromachi period (1336-1573), the Takagi name gained further recognition, particularly in the Kanto region around present-day Tokyo. Historical records from this time mention several individuals with the surname, including Takagi Masanori (1454-1523), a skilled military commander who served under the Uesugi clan.
As Japan transitioned into the Edo period (1603-1868), the Takagi surname continued to be prominent. One notable figure was Takagi Tokugen (1521-1607), a Buddhist monk and poet who played a significant role in the revival of classical Japanese poetry during this era.
In the late 19th century, following the Meiji Restoration, the Takagi surname gained even greater recognition. Takagi Tōkichi (1873-1937) was a prominent mathematician and educator who made significant contributions to the field of number theory and influenced generations of Japanese mathematicians.
Another notable individual with the Takagi surname was Takagi Teiji (1875-1960), a pioneering geologist and seismologist. His research on earthquake prediction and seismic wave propagation laid the foundation for modern seismology in Japan.
Throughout its history, the Takagi surname has been associated with various professions and fields, including the military, literature, academia, and science. While its exact origins may be uncertain, the name has left an indelible mark on Japanese history and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Takagi
Among Census respondents with the surname Takagi, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 74.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.5%) and White (9.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Takagi bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Takagi surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander74.7% · 498
- Two or more races10.5% · 70
- White9.7% · 65
- Hispanic or Latino4.3% · 29
- Black or African American0.6% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Takagi
Takagi appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#30,825
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 755
+5 bearers (+0.7%)
Per 100,000 0.26
Rank movement Down 1,200 places
2020
#36,150
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 667
-88 bearers (-11.7%)
Per 100,000 0.22
Rank movement Down 5,325 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #29,625 | 750 | 0.28 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #30,825 | 755 | 0.26 | +5 bearers (+0.7%) | Down 1,200 places |
| 2020 | #36,150 | 667 | 0.22 | -88 bearers (-11.7%) | Down 5,325 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Takagi surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #30,825 | #36,150 | -17.3% |
| Count | 755 | 667 | -11.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.26 | 0.22 | -14.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Takagi bearers went from 755 to 667 (-11.7% change). The surname moved down 5,325 positions in the national ranking, going from #30,825 to #36,150.
FAQ
Takagi surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Takagi?
Name Census estimates that about 765 living Americans carry the surname Takagi. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 448,045 residents.
How common is Takagi?
Takagi ranks #36,150 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.22 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 667 people with the surname Takagi. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (765), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.22 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.22 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Takagi.
Has Takagi become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Takagi went from 755 recorded bearers to 667. That is a decrease of 88 (-11.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #30,825 to #36,150.
What does the Census say about the background of Takagi?
Among Census respondents with the surname Takagi, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 74.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.5%) and White (9.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Takagi in the 2020 Census, accounting for 74.7% (498 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Takagi appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (74.7%), Two or More Races (10.5%), White (9.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Takagi (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Takagi mean?
A Japanese surname meaning "tall tree" or "high wooden structure". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Takagi (0.22 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Takagi?
If you just want to know how many people are called Takagi, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.