2000
#134,037
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Toyoshima
A locational surname referring to a wealthy or prosperous island.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 140 Americans carry the last name Toyoshima. That puts it at #140,525 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,448,245 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Toyoshima 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
140
1 in 2,448,245
Census rank
#140,525
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
122
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 122 bearers of the surname Toyoshima in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 140525th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Toyoshima, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 84.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.0%) and White (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Toyoshima
The surname Toyoshima is of Japanese origin, originating in the late 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Japanese words "toyo" meaning "abundant" or "plentiful" and "shima" meaning "island." This suggests the name may have originated from an island location that was known for its abundant resources or fertility.
One of the earliest known records of the Toyoshima name dates back to the late 1500s in the Kagoshima region of southern Japan. There are references to a samurai warrior named Toyoshima Yasutaka who fought in battles against rival clans during this period. His son, Toyoshima Nobunao, also became a respected samurai and leader.
In the 17th century, the Toyoshima family established themselves as landowners and administrators in the Satsuma Domain, which covered parts of modern-day Kagoshima Prefecture. Historical documents from this time mention several Toyoshima clan members serving as local officials and tax collectors.
One notable figure was Toyoshima Masanori (1580-1657), a skilled military strategist and advisor to the Shimazu clan, who were among the most powerful feudal lords in southern Japan. His exploits are recorded in several historical texts and chronicles.
During the Edo period (1603-1868), the Toyoshima name spread to other regions of Japan as family members relocated or were appointed to administrative positions in different domains. For example, Toyoshima Hidemasa (1738-1822) served as a magistrate in the city of Edo (modern-day Tokyo).
Other prominent individuals with the Toyoshima surname include Toyoshima Yoshio (1890-1955), a successful businessman and industrialist who founded the Toyoshima Corporation, and Toyoshima Keiko (1936-2013), a renowned author and playwright known for her works exploring feminist themes and women's experiences in post-war Japan.
While the Toyoshima name has its roots in feudal Japan, it has endured and spread across the country over the centuries. The name's connection to an "abundant island" reflects the resilience and prosperity of this family lineage throughout Japanese history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Toyoshima
Among Census respondents with the surname Toyoshima, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 84.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.0%) and White (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Toyoshima 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 Toyoshima surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander84.4% · 103
- Two or more races9.0% · 11
- White2.5% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.5% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.6% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Toyoshima
Toyoshima 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
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-12 bearers (-10.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 22,007 places
2020
#140,525
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
+18 bearers (+17.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 15,519 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,037 | 116 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | -12 bearers (-10.3%) | Down 22,007 places |
| 2020 | #140,525 | 122 | 0.04 | +18 bearers (+17.3%) | Up 15,519 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 Toyoshima 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 | #156,044 | #140,525 | 9.9% |
| Count | 104 | 122 | 17.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 2.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Toyoshima bearers went from 104 to 122 (+17.3% change). The surname moved up 15,519 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #140,525.
FAQ
Toyoshima surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Toyoshima?
Name Census estimates that about 140 living Americans carry the surname Toyoshima. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,448,245 residents.
How common is Toyoshima?
Toyoshima ranks #140,525 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 122 people with the surname Toyoshima. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (140), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Toyoshima.
Has Toyoshima become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Toyoshima went from 104 recorded bearers to 122. That is an increase of 18 (+17.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #140,525.
What does the Census say about the background of Toyoshima?
Among Census respondents with the surname Toyoshima, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 84.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.0%) and White (2.5%). 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 Toyoshima in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.4% (103 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Toyoshima appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (84.4%), Two or More Races (9.0%), White (2.5%). 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 Toyoshima (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 Toyoshima mean?
A locational surname referring to a wealthy or prosperous island. 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 Toyoshima (0.04 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 Toyoshima?
If you just want to know how many Americans have the surname Toyoshima, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.