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

Yamashita, 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 Yamashita surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yamashita in America

Yamashita is the 12500th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yamashita surname appeared 2,480 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Yamashita.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yamashita 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 Yamashita

The surname Yamashita originates from Japan and is believed to have emerged during the Kamakura period (1185–1333 CE). It is a locational name derived from the Japanese words "yama" meaning mountain and "shita" meaning below or under, indicating that the bearers of this name likely resided near the base of a mountain.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Yamashita name can be found in the Azuma Kagami, a historical chronicle compiled in the late 13th century, which documents the lives and achievements of various samurai clans during the Kamakura era.

During the Edo period (1603–1867), the Yamashita clan gained prominence as a notable samurai family. Yamashita Yoshitsugu (1599–1624), a renowned daimyo (feudal lord) and military commander, is remembered for his bravery and loyalty in defending the Tokugawa shogunate during the Siege of Osaka.

In the 19th century, Yamashita Tomoyuki (1815–1892) was a prominent statesman and diplomat who played a crucial role in the negotiations that led to the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and the United States.

During World War II, Yamashita Tomoyuki (1885–1946), a Japanese general, gained notoriety for his command of the 14th Area Army in the Philippines. He was later tried and convicted of war crimes by an American military tribunal, a controversial decision that remains a subject of debate among historians.

Another notable figure with the Yamashita surname was Yamashita Zenjiro (1888–1958), a Japanese entrepreneur and industrialist who founded the Yamashita-Shinnihon Steamship Company, which played a significant role in Japan's maritime trade and economy in the early 20th century.

While the Yamashita name has its roots in Japan, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and global interconnectivity. However, it remains strongly associated with its Japanese origins and the rich cultural heritage of the country.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yamashita

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

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

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

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