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

Yamagishi, 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 Yamagishi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yamagishi in America

Yamagishi is the 101737th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yamagishi surname appeared 177 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 Yamagishi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yamagishi 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 Yamagishi

The surname Yamagishi originates in Japan and can be traced back several centuries. It is composed of two kanji characters: 山 (yama), meaning "mountain," and 橋 (hashi/gishi), meaning "bridge." This combination indicates a geographic location or feature, possibly referring to a person or family living by a mountain bridge. Such topographical surnames are common in Japan, reflecting the country’s mountainous terrain and numerous rivers and bridges.

Yamagishi is notably found in regions such as the Kansai area, which includes ancient cultural centers like Kyoto and Nara. These areas have a long history and were prominent during the Heian period (794-1185), where many families might have first started using surnames to denote their geographic origins or significant local features.

Historical references to the Yamagishi surname date back to feudal Japan. Records from the Edo period (1603-1868) include mentions of families bearing this surname, primarily in administrative and census documents. Although no specific records like the Domesday Book exist in Japan, local registries and temple documents have preserved these names.

The earliest recorded example of the name Yamagishi dates to the early 17th century in a village registry in modern-day Nara prefecture. The entry lists a Yamagishi family among the inhabitants, indicating their local significance. This family may have been involved in maintaining or constructing local bridges, a common task for families named after geographical features.

A notable figure in the Edo period was Yamagishi Ichiro, born in 1678 and known for his work as a bridge builder in the Kansai region. His contributions were essential for the local transportation and trade routes. Another influential individual was Yamagishi Kozaemon, born 1754, who served as a local magistrate and played a significant role in regional governance.

In more recent historical times, Yamagishi Hisako, born in 1872, became well-known for her work in traditional Japanese poetry, contributing to the cultural preservation of Nara’s poetic traditions. Another famous individual was Yamagishi Kaoru, born 1896, who was a noted scholar of Japanese literature and history. Yamagishi Masayuki, born 1912, made significant contributions to the field of agricultural science and rural development in post-war Japan.

Overall, the surname Yamagishi reflects a connection to Japan’s physical landscape and cultural history, with notable individuals contributing to various facets of Japanese society over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yamagishi

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

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

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

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