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

Tanimoto, 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 Tanimoto surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tanimoto in America

Tanimoto is the 52037th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tanimoto surname appeared 399 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 Tanimoto.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tanimoto 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 Tanimoto

The surname Tanimoto is of Japanese origin, with roots dating back to the 8th century. It is derived from the Japanese words "tani" meaning "valley" and "moto" meaning "origin" or "source." The name likely originated from a person or family who resided near a valley or lived in an area known for its valleys.

The earliest recorded instance of the Tanimoto name can be traced back to the Heian period (794-1185 AD) in Japan. During this time, surnames were initially adopted by the aristocratic and samurai classes, with commoners later adopting surnames in the late 12th century.

One of the earliest known figures with the Tanimoto surname was Tanimoto Masayuki (1596-1647), a samurai who served under the powerful Tokugawa shogunate. He fought in several battles during the Sengoku period and was renowned for his bravery and loyalty.

In the 17th century, the Tanimoto family gained prominence in the Tosa domain (modern-day Kochi Prefecture) on the island of Shikoku. Tanimoto Kiyoaki (1637-1708) was a prominent daimyo (feudal lord) who oversaw the construction of several notable castles and temples during his rule.

During the Edo period (1603-1868), the Tanimoto name was also associated with the art of traditional Japanese pottery. Tanimoto Keizan (1739-1812), a renowned potter from Kyoto, is credited with reviving and perfecting the Raku ware technique, a unique style of glazed ceramics.

In the Meiji era (1868-1912), Tanimoto Masayuki (1845-1905) was a influential politician and education reformer. He played a crucial role in establishing Japan's modern education system and served as the first Minister of Education under the new government.

Another notable figure was Tanimoto Koki (1915-1987), a renowned Japanese architect who was heavily influenced by the Metabolist movement. He designed several iconic buildings, including the Yoyogi National Gymnasium, which was used for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

These are just a few examples of the many individuals who have carried the Tanimoto surname throughout Japanese history, highlighting its long-standing presence and significance within the country's cultural and societal fabric.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tanimoto

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Tanimoto, 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!