Yamate last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Yamate

A Japanese surname meaning "the top of a mountain" or "mountain peak".

Yamate, 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 Yamate surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yamate in America

Yamate is the 137327th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yamate surname appeared 122 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 Yamate.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yamate 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 137327 132259 3.76%
Count 122 118 3.33%
Proportion per 100k 0.04 0.04 0.00%

The history of the last name Yamate

The surname Yamate originates from Japan, a country with a rich history of family names often linked to geographic locations, occupations, or notable characteristics. The name Yamate is derived from the combination of two kanji characters: "yama" (山) meaning "mountain" and "te" (手) meaning "hand". The literal translation could be interpreted as "mountain hand," though this is likely metaphorical rather than literal.

Historically, the surname Yamate has been associated with regions that are characterized by their hilly or mountainous terrain. In particular, the name is believed to have originated from areas in the Kanto region such as present-day Tokyo and Kanagawa. These regions are known for their elevated landscapes, which may have inspired the adoption of the surname.

The name Yamate appears in historical documents dating back to the Edo period (1603-1868), a time when family names became commonly used among the Samurai class and later spread to the general populace. Though not directly appearing in ancient records like the Domesday Book, the surname is referenced in regional registries and temple records, indicating its early usage and the families associated with it.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname Yamate comes from the Edo period, specifically in a registry of samurai families residing in the Kanagawa area. An individual named Masayuki Yamate, born in 1643, is noted for his role as a local magistrate. Another example is Hiroshi Yamate, who lived between 1710 and 1782 and was renowned for his works in traditional Japanese woodblock printing.

Moving into the Meiji period (1868-1912), the surname Yamate continued to appear in historical records. One notable figure is Ichiro Yamate, born in 1864, who was a prominent educator and played a significant role in the modernization of Japan’s education system. His contributions to public schooling earned him recognition, which is documented in several educational reforms of the time.

In the modern era, the surname Yamate is connected to several notable individuals. One of them is Hideo Yamate, born in 1910 and passed away in 1975, who served as a diplomat and played a crucial role in post-World War II international relations for Japan. Another is Akemi Yamate, born in 1943, who gained fame as a classical musician and contributed significantly to the global recognition of Japanese classical music.

The surname Yamate, with its origins rooted in the mountainous regions of Japan, spans several centuries and is connected to various significant historical figures. The name persists in historical records and continues to be a symbol of Japanese heritage and identity.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yamate

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

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 Yamate was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 17.21% 21
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 70.49% 86
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 11.48% 14
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

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 Yamate has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 17.21% 15.25% 12.08%
Black (S)% 0.00% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 70.49% 79.66% -12.21%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races 11.48% 5.08% 77.29%
Hispanic (S)% 0.00% (S)%

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

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

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"Yamate last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/yamate-surname-popularity/.

"Yamate last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/yamate-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 December, 2024

Yamate last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/yamate-surname-popularity/.

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