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

Takayama, 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 Takayama surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Takayama in America

Takayama is the 35812th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Takayama surname appeared 627 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 Takayama.

We can also compare 2010 data for Takayama 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 Takayama

The surname Takayama originates from Japan and is a locational name derived from the city of Takayama, located in the Hida region of Gifu Prefecture. The name is thought to have its roots in the 16th century.

The name "Takayama" is composed of two Japanese kanji characters, "taka" meaning "tall" or "high," and "yama" meaning "mountain." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near or in a mountainous area, perhaps referring to the geographic location of the city itself.

Historically, the Takayama region was known for its skilled craftsmen, particularly in the production of high-quality wood carvings and lacquerware. The city's renowned Hida Folk Village, an open-air museum showcasing traditional Hida architecture and crafts, preserves this cultural heritage.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Takayama name can be found in the Edo period (1603-1868), when a prominent samurai clan, the Takayama clan, held significant influence in the region. The clan's ancestral home was located in what is now the city of Takayama.

Notable individuals bearing the Takayama surname throughout history include:

1. Hikokuro Takayama (1835-1904), a Japanese statesman and politician who served as the first Speaker of the House of Representatives in the Imperial Diet of Japan.

2. Chikuzen Takayama (1567-1626), a renowned Christian feudal lord and samurai during the Sengoku period, known for his unwavering loyalty to his faith despite facing persecution.

3. Akira Takayama (1880-1942), a Japanese politician and diplomat who served as the Mayor of Tokyo from 1936 to 1942.

4. Yūki Takayama (born 1992), a Japanese professional baseball pitcher currently playing for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in Nippon Professional Baseball.

5. Masayuki Takayama (born 1965), a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist, known for his successful career in both sports.

While the Takayama name may not have appeared in historical records as prominently as some other Japanese surnames, its origins can be traced back to the mountainous Hida region, reflecting the geographic and cultural significance of the area.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Takayama

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

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

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

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