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

Yokota, 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 Yokota surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yokota in America

Yokota is the 34539th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yokota surname appeared 655 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 Yokota.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yokota 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 Yokota

The surname Yokota originates from Japan, with its roots deeply embedded in the Japanese language and culture. This surname is primarily associated with the regions of Eastern Japan, particularly in the Kantō area. The name itself is composed of two elements: "Yoko" (横), meaning "horizontal" or "side," and "ta" (田), meaning "rice field." It historically referred to families living by horizontally sprawling rice fields, which were a common feature in the rural landscapes of ancient Japan.

The earliest references to the surname Yokota can be traced back to the Edo period (1603-1868), a time of relative peace and stability in Japan, enabling the conservation of detailed family records. During this period, the name began to appear in various regional documents and household registries, reflecting the agrarian lifestyle of many of its bearers. While no specific manuscripts akin to the Domesday Book exist in Japan, local registries from domains (han) during the Edo period provide insight into families bearing the surname Yokota.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname was in the mid-17th century, where a family named Yokota was noted for their contributions to agricultural innovations in the Kawagoe Domain. By the late Edo period, a notable figure with this surname was Yokota Takatoshi (1721-1787), a samurai who played a significant role in local governance and land management in the Satsuma Domain.

In the Meiji period (1868-1912), the surname Yokota became more widespread as Japan underwent rapid modernization and the government instituted policies requiring all citizens to adopt surnames. Yokota Shotai (1840-1914) was a prominent poet and scholar during this time, contributing significantly to Meiji literature and thought.

The Yokota name gained further prominence in the modern era through individuals such as Yokota Takayuki (1887-1966), an influential political figure who served in the Japanese Diet and was instrumental in post-World War II economic reforms. Another notable figure is Yokota Kazuo (1919-1981), a respected academic in the field of engineering who made significant advancements in the development of Japan's post-war industrial technologies.

One prominent contemporary of historical note is Yokota Megumi, whose abduction by North Korean agents in 1977 brought international attention to the issue of enforced disappearances and human rights. Her case remains a poignant aspect of the name's recent history.

Throughout history, the surname Yokota has been borne by individuals who have made significant contributions to various fields in Japanese society, from agriculture and governance to academia and human rights advocacy. The name continues to be a symbol of heritage and cultural identity for its bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yokota

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!