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

Tamari, 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 Tamari surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tamari in America

Tamari is the 130610th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tamari surname appeared 130 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 Tamari.

The history of the last name Tamari

The surname Tamari is believed to have originated in Japan. It likely emerged as a regional or locational name, referring to a person who hailed from a specific town or village bearing a similar name.

One theory suggests that the name Tamari may derive from the Japanese word "tamaru," which means "to accumulate" or "to gather." This could imply that the name was initially associated with a location where resources or people congregated, such as a market town or trading hub.

Another possibility is that Tamari stems from the Japanese word "tama," which translates to "ball" or "sphere." In this case, the name could have been linked to a place with a notable geographic feature, such as a rounded hill or a spherical landmark.

While concrete historical records of the name's origins are scarce, some scholars believe that the Tamari surname can be traced back to the Heian period (794-1185 CE) in Japan. During this time, family names began to emerge and solidify among the aristocratic and samurai classes.

One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the Tamari name was Tamari no Nobuyori (1155-1225), a prominent Japanese samurai and military commander who served under the influential Minamoto clan during the late Heian and early Kamakura periods.

In the 16th century, a notable figure named Tamari Masachika (1510-1573) rose to prominence as a skilled swordsmith and sword polisher during the Sengoku period, contributing to the development of Japanese sword-making techniques.

The Tamari surname also gained recognition through the exploits of Tamari Naoyuki (1590-1659), a skilled diplomat and negotiator who played a crucial role in fostering trade relations between Japan and the Dutch East India Company during the Edo period.

In more recent history, the acclaimed Japanese novelist and playwright Tamari Toshio (1922-1998) gained international recognition for his works exploring themes of existentialism and the human condition, earning him numerous literary accolades.

Another notable figure was Tamari Kiyoko (1924-2004), a renowned Japanese dancer and choreographer who helped popularize and preserve traditional Japanese dance forms, contributing significantly to the cultural heritage of her country.

While the Tamari surname is not among the most common in Japan, it has maintained a presence throughout the country's rich history, with individuals bearing this name leaving their mark across various fields, from military leadership and craftsmanship to literature and the performing arts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tamari

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

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 Tamari 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.

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!