2000
#6,928
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,466
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.66
Rare Last name
Yamada
A Japanese surname meaning "mountain rice paddy," referring to someone who lived near or worked in a mountain rice field.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,038 Americans carry the last name Yamada. That puts it at #7,312 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.47 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 68,034 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Yamada 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
5.0K
1 in 68,034
Census rank
#7,312
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,393 bearers of the surname Yamada in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.47 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7312th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Yamada, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 77.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (11.7%) and White (6.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Yamada
The surname Yamada is of Japanese origin, tracing its roots back to the 8th century CE. It is a locational surname, derived from the place name "Yamada," which means "mountain rice field" or "mountain paddy." The name is believed to have originated in the rural areas of Japan, where rice cultivation was a significant agricultural activity.
The earliest recorded instances of the Yamada surname can be found in ancient Japanese texts and records from the Heian period (794-1185 CE). During this time, the use of family names became more widespread among the aristocratic and samurai classes. The Yamada name was likely adopted by families who resided near or owned rice fields located in mountainous regions.
One of the earliest notable figures with the Yamada surname was Yamada Nagamasa (1350-1384), a prominent samurai warrior who served under the Ashikaga shogunate. He played a crucial role in the Nanboku-cho wars, a conflict that lasted from 1336 to 1392, and was known for his bravery and military prowess.
Another renowned individual with the Yamada surname was Yamada Sohen (1627-1707), a Zen Buddhist monk and calligrapher. He was renowned for his mastery of the Japanese calligraphic style and was considered one of the greatest calligraphers of his time.
In the realm of literature, Yamada Bimyo (1868-1910) was a celebrated novelist and poet. He is best known for his works that explored the struggles and complexities of modern Japanese society, such as "Koshoku Gonin Musume" (The Five Women Who Loved Love).
The Yamada surname was also prominent in the world of martial arts. Yamada Isao (1915-1994) was a renowned master of Shotokan karate and is credited with introducing and popularizing the art in the United States. He founded the Japan Karate Association International and trained numerous students worldwide.
During the Edo period (1603-1868), the Yamada family was known for their involvement in the production of traditional Japanese ceramics. The Yamada kiln, located in the Gifu Prefecture, produced highly prized ceramic wares that were sought after by collectors and connoisseurs.
Throughout its history, the Yamada surname has been associated with various professions, including agriculture, artistry, literature, and martial arts. Its widespread presence across Japan reflects the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who carried this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Yamada
Among Census respondents with the surname Yamada, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 77.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (11.7%) and White (6.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Yamada 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 Yamada surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander77.5% · 3,403
- Two or more races11.7% · 516
- White6.7% · 296
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 166
- Black or African American0.3% · 11
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Yamada
Yamada 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
#7,461
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,467
+1 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 1.51
Rank movement Down 533 places
2020
#7,312
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,393
-74 bearers (-1.7%)
Per 100,000 1.47
Rank movement Up 149 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,928 | 4,466 | 1.66 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,461 | 4,467 | 1.51 | +1 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 533 places |
| 2020 | #7,312 | 4,393 | 1.47 | -74 bearers (-1.7%) | Up 149 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 Yamada 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 | #7,461 | #7,312 | 2.0% |
| Count | 4,467 | 4,393 | -1.7% |
| Per 100K | 1.51 | 1.47 | -2.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Yamada bearers went from 4,467 to 4,393 (-1.7% change). The surname moved up 149 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,461 to #7,312.
FAQ
Yamada surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Yamada?
Name Census estimates that about 5,038 living Americans carry the surname Yamada. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 68,034 residents.
How common is Yamada?
Yamada ranks #7,312 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.47 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,393 people with the surname Yamada. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,038), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.47 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.47 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Yamada.
Has Yamada become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Yamada went from 4,467 recorded bearers to 4,393. That is a decrease of 74 (-1.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #7,461 to #7,312.
What does the Census say about the background of Yamada?
Among Census respondents with the surname Yamada, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 77.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (11.7%) and White (6.7%). 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 Yamada in the 2020 Census, accounting for 77.5% (3,403 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Yamada appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (77.5%), Two or More Races (11.7%), White (6.7%). 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 Yamada (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 Yamada mean?
A Japanese surname meaning "mountain rice paddy," referring to someone who lived near or worked in a mountain rice field. 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 Yamada (1.47 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 Yamada?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the last name Yamada at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.