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

Yoneyama, 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 Yoneyama surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yoneyama in America

Yoneyama is the 109758th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yoneyama surname appeared 161 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 Yoneyama.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yoneyama 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 Yoneyama

The surname Yoneyama originates from Japan and is most commonly associated with the Kansai and Chūbu regions. The name is derived from two Japanese characters: "米" (yone), meaning "rice," and "山" (yama), meaning "mountain." This combination suggests an association with rice farming or agricultural regions, typically near mountainous areas.

The name Yoneyama can be traced back to ancient feudal Japan, a time when surnames were often indicative of one's occupation or geographical location. Historical records from the Edo period, which lasted from 1603 to 1868, reveal instances of the surname in local temple registries and land ownership documents. One of the earliest known examples appears in a 17th-century land registry of the Nagano Prefecture, an area rich in agricultural history.

Yoneyama as a surname has been recorded in several variations over time, including older kanji forms that denote rural and agrarian communities prevalent in central Japan. Place names such as Yoneyama Village, which existed in Niigata Prefecture until it merged with other municipalities in the 20th century, further point to the geographical dispersion of the surname.

A notable historical figure bearing this surname is Yoneyama Satoshi, a samurai from the late Edo period, born in 1812 and known for his loyalty to the Tokugawa shogunate. Another significant figure is Yoneyama Matsujiro, a 19th-century scholar and educator renowned for his contributions to agrarian knowledge and practices. Born in 1853, Matsujiro played a crucial role in the modernization of rice farming techniques in Japan.

The early 20th century saw another prominent individual, Yoneyama Momoko, born in 1885, who was a pioneering female educator striving for gender equality in education. Her legacy includes the foundation of several educational institutions that still exist today.

In the realm of arts, Yoneyama Michio, an esteemed painter born in 1927, gained recognition for his traditional Japanese artworks and contributions to cultural preservation through his paintings representing rural life and agricultural landscapes during the Showa era.

Yoneyama Toru, born in 1941, stands out as an influential business leader in the mid-to-late 20th century. He significantly contributed to the Japanese automotive industry's international expansion, holding senior positions in renowned corporations and advocating for technological advancements.

The Yoneyama surname, with its rich history and cultural significance, reflects the agricultural heritage and rural roots of its bearers, highlighting the impact of these individuals in various fields throughout Japan's history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yoneyama

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

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

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

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