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

Uesugi, 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 Uesugi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Uesugi in America

Uesugi is the 133048th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Uesugi surname appeared 127 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 Uesugi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Uesugi 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 Uesugi

The surname UESUGI originates from Japan, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Japanese words "ue" meaning "upper" and "sugi" meaning "cedar tree," suggesting a connection to a location or geographical feature involving elevated cedar trees.

The UESUGI name has a strong historical association with the Uesugi clan, a prominent feudal family that ruled over the Echigo Province (present-day Niigata Prefecture) during the Sengoku period (15th–17th centuries). One of the most notable figures from this clan was Uesugi Kenshin (1530-1578), a skilled military strategist and daimyo (feudal lord) renowned for his prowess on the battlefield.

In the late 16th century, the UESUGI name appeared in the Taikōki, a historical chronicle documenting the life and campaigns of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of the most influential figures of the Sengoku period. This record mentions interactions between Hideyoshi and members of the Uesugi clan, further solidifying the name's historical significance.

Another notable figure with the UESUGI surname was Uesugi Shigefusa (1597-1670), a samurai and daimyo who served under the Tokugawa Shogunate during the Edo period (1603-1868). He played a crucial role in the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, which marked the beginning of the Tokugawa Shogunate's rule over Japan.

During the Edo period, the UESUGI name was also associated with the Yonezawa Domain, a feudal domain located in the present-day Yamagata Prefecture. The Uesugi clan served as the ruling daimyo family of this domain for over 250 years, from the early 17th century until the Meiji Restoration in 1868.

In the field of literature, Uesugi Masaki (1888-1960) was a renowned Japanese novelist and poet. He was a pioneer of the naturalist literary movement in Japan and is best known for his works such as "The Grass Labyrinth" and "The Scorching Wind."

While the UESUGI surname has its roots in feudal Japan, it has since spread to various parts of the world, with individuals carrying this name making significant contributions in various fields throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Uesugi

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

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

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

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