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

Watase, 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 Watase surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Watase in America

Watase is the 143149th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Watase surname appeared 116 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 Watase.

The history of the last name Watase

The surname WATASE is of Japanese origin and dates back several centuries. It is believed to have originated in the Kanto region of central Japan, specifically in the areas around modern-day Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture.

One theory suggests that the name may derive from the Japanese word "watasu," which means "to cross over" or "to ferry." This could indicate that ancestors with this surname may have worked as ferrymen or lived near a river crossing. However, the exact origins and meaning of the name are not entirely clear.

In terms of historical records, the WATASE surname appears in several ancient Japanese documents and manuscripts, although its earliest written mentions are difficult to pinpoint with certainty. Some scholars have suggested that variations of the name, such as WATAZI or WATASHI, can be found in local records dating back to the late 16th or early 17th century.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the WATASE surname was a samurai named WATASE Nobuyoshi, who lived in the late 16th century and served under the famous daimyo (feudal lord) Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Another notable figure was WATASE Munesada, a Buddhist monk and scholar who lived in the 17th century and wrote several influential texts on Zen philosophy.

In the 18th century, a WATASE family established themselves as prominent merchants and landowners in the Edo (modern-day Tokyo) area. One member of this family, WATASE Tsuneyuki (1753-1821), was a successful businessman and philanthropist who funded the construction of several temples and shrines in the region.

During the Edo period (1603-1868), the WATASE surname was also associated with various artistic and cultural pursuits. WATASE Muneaki (1815-1890) was a renowned ukiyo-e woodblock print artist, while WATASE Kiyoshi (1838-1912) was a talented calligrapher and poet.

As Japan modernized in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the WATASE name continued to be prominent in various fields. WATASE Tsuneyoshi (1872-1946) was a celebrated novelist and playwright, while WATASE Setsuko (1897-1982) was a pioneering female scientist and one of the first Japanese women to earn a doctoral degree in chemistry.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Watase

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

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

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

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