2000
#19,272
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,301
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.48
Rare Last name
Uyeda
A surname of Japanese origin meaning "upper rice paddy".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,391 Americans carry the last name Uyeda. That puts it at #21,866 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.41 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 246,409 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Uyeda 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
1.4K
1 in 246,409
Census rank
#21,866
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,213 bearers of the surname Uyeda in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.41 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 21866th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Uyeda, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 71.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (14.4%) and White (7.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Uyeda
The surname Uyeda has its origins in Japan, with roots dating back several centuries. The name is believed to have derived from the Japanese word "uye," meaning "above" or "superior," combined with the suffix "-da," which denotes a place or locality. This suggests that the name Uyeda may have originated from a specific geographical location or region that was situated at a higher elevation or considered superior in some way.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Uyeda can be found in the Kamakura period (1185-1333 CE), when it was mentioned in local records and historical documents. During this era, Japan was ruled by the Shogunate, and various clans and families rose to prominence, including those bearing the Uyeda surname.
The name Uyeda has been associated with several notable individuals throughout Japanese history. One such figure was Uyeda Nobumitsu (1516-1580), a renowned samurai warrior who served under the powerful Tokugawa clan during the Sengoku period (1467-1615 CE). His military prowess and unwavering loyalty earned him a respected position within the Tokugawa ranks.
Another prominent individual was Uyeda Toshiaki (1732-1804), a scholar and poet who made significant contributions to the development of Japanese literature during the Edo period (1603-1868 CE). His works, which often focused on nature and the beauty of the natural world, have been celebrated for their elegance and depth.
In the 19th century, Uyeda Yasuhiro (1822-1891) was a prominent educator and advocate for modernizing Japan's education system. He played a crucial role in establishing several schools and promoting the values of Western-style education, which had a lasting impact on the country's intellectual and cultural landscape.
More recently, Uyeda Seiya (born 1963) is a renowned Japanese architect who has gained international recognition for his innovative designs and sustainable approach to architecture. His works, which often blend traditional Japanese elements with modern techniques, have been celebrated for their creativity and environmental sensitivity.
Throughout its history, the Uyeda surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including warriors, scholars, educators, and artists. While the exact origins of the name may be shrouded in the mists of time, its enduring presence in Japanese culture and society is a testament to its rich heritage and the lasting impact of those who have borne this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Uyeda
Among Census respondents with the surname Uyeda, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 71.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (14.4%) and White (7.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Uyeda 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 Uyeda surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander71.9% · 872
- Two or more races14.4% · 175
- White7.6% · 92
- Hispanic or Latino5.9% · 71
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 2
- Black or African American0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Uyeda
Uyeda 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
#20,139
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,326
+25 bearers (+1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.45
Rank movement Down 867 places
2020
#21,866
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,213
-113 bearers (-8.5%)
Per 100,000 0.41
Rank movement Down 1,727 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #19,272 | 1,301 | 0.48 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #20,139 | 1,326 | 0.45 | +25 bearers (+1.9%) | Down 867 places |
| 2020 | #21,866 | 1,213 | 0.41 | -113 bearers (-8.5%) | Down 1,727 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 Uyeda 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 | #20,139 | #21,866 | -8.6% |
| Count | 1,326 | 1,213 | -8.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.45 | 0.41 | -9.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Uyeda bearers went from 1,326 to 1,213 (-8.5% change). The surname moved down 1,727 positions in the national ranking, going from #20,139 to #21,866.
FAQ
Uyeda surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Uyeda?
Name Census estimates that about 1,391 living Americans carry the surname Uyeda. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 246,409 residents.
How common is Uyeda?
Uyeda ranks #21,866 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.41 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 1,213 people with the surname Uyeda. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,391), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.41 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.41 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 Uyeda.
Has Uyeda become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Uyeda went from 1,326 recorded bearers to 1,213. That is a decrease of 113 (-8.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #20,139 to #21,866.
What does the Census say about the background of Uyeda?
Among Census respondents with the surname Uyeda, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 71.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (14.4%) and White (7.6%). 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 Uyeda in the 2020 Census, accounting for 71.9% (872 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Uyeda appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (71.9%), Two or More Races (14.4%), White (7.6%). 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 Uyeda (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 Uyeda mean?
A surname of Japanese origin meaning "upper rice paddy". 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 Uyeda (0.41 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 Americans have the surname Uyeda?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.