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

Yamauchi, 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 Yamauchi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yamauchi in America

Yamauchi is the 21736th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yamauchi surname appeared 1,197 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 Yamauchi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yamauchi 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 Yamauchi

The surname Yamauchi originates from Japan and can be traced back to ancient times, specifically to the feudal periods of Japanese history. It is derived from two kanji characters: "山" (yama), meaning "mountain," and "内" (uchi), meaning "inside" or "within." Thus, Yamauchi roughly translates to "within the mountain" or "in the mountains." This name is fairly common in regions known for mountainous landscapes, which holds true for many areas in Japan.

The Yamauchi surname is historically significant and can be found in various old records and manuscripts. One of the earliest references to the name comes from the Kamakura period (1185–1333), where it was recorded in the military records of samurai families. The Yamauchi clan rose to prominence during this era, with members serving as samurai and retainers to powerful feudal lords.

The Yamauchi family gained further prominence during the Sengoku and Edo periods (15th to 19th centuries). Notable among them was Yamauchi Kazutoyo, born in 1545 and died in 1605. Kazutoyo was a samurai lord who played a crucial role in the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, which led to the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate. He was later rewarded with the Tosa Domain in present-day Kōchi Prefecture, making the Yamauchi family the ruling clan of that region.

Yamauchi Yoshihiro, born in 1619 and died in 1685, was another important figure from the clan. He succeeded Kazutoyo and continued to govern the Tosa Domain. Yoshihiro was renowned for his administrative skills and efforts to develop the local economy, including encouraging agricultural advancements and promoting cultural activities.

In modern history, Yamauchi Hiroshi, born in 1927 and died in 2013, was a notable figure who transformed the family business, Nintendo, from a small playing card company into a global video game giant. His leadership and vision had a profound impact on the gaming industry and made the Yamauchi name well-known internationally.

Another notable individual is Yamauchi Tsutomu, a nuclear physicist born in 1930, who made significant contributions to the field of particle physics. His research and publications have been highly regarded in scientific communities, both in Japan and internationally.

Yamauchi Tsunahiro, a contemporary artist born in 1962, is recognized for his unique blend of traditional Japanese art techniques with modern themes. His works have been exhibited in numerous galleries worldwide, earning him a place among the influential artists of his generation.

The surname Yamauchi has a rich history intertwined with Japan's feudal past, significant families, and regions. Its meaning, "within the mountain," reflects the geographical features of the areas from which it hails. Throughout history, individuals with this surname have made notable contributions to various fields, from governance and agriculture to science and art.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yamauchi

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

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

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

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