Japanese surnames

Japanese surnames

Japanese surnames, or family names, are an important aspect of Japanese culture and heritage. They reflect the country's rich history and unique societal norms that vary from other cultures.

In Japanese culture, as in other East Asian cultures, the family name is placed before the given name, for example, “Suzuki (surname) Haru (given name)”. This convention is the opposite to the orientation found in Western culture where the given name comes before the surname.

In addition to surnames, honorary titles are commonly used to address individuals based on their positions or seniority in the workplace or school. For example, “sempai” is often used to refer to a senior colleague while “sensei” is used when speaking to a teacher.

Unlike the rest of the population, the emperor and other members of the imperial family have historically been assigned only a given name along with their title, and no surname. For example, the former emperor Akihito was named Tsugu-no-miya Akihito at birth, Tsugu-no-miya being his prince title. It’s common for people who marry into the royal family to discontinue use of their family name to align with imperial customs.

History of Japanese surnames

Surnames are a relatively modern aspect of Japanese culture. Prior to the Meiji Restoration, a political revolution that lasted from 1868 to 1889, surnames were only used by the aristocracy of Japan. Affluent commoners could pay for permission to bear a surname, but this was limited to use in their local communities and were not permitted for official use.

In 1870, the laws of Japan changed to allow commoners to take a surname. Shortly after, in 1873, a new law made it mandatory for all citizens of Japan, regardless of their social or economic status, to have a surname. Because many Japanese didn’t have surnames that were passed down through generations, families either came up with a surname themselves or asked a priest to assign one to them.

View of Mt. Fuji with cherry blossom (sakura ) in spring

Research estimates that 89.5% of family names originated from the name of places or natural elements where the family lived. For example, many people who lived in Western Japan took the surname of their local prefecture, Yamaguchi. Others looked to nature and chose family names that represented the landscape or geographical features around them such as forests, trees, and mountains. Many of these geographic names were combined with an attribute, for example in names such as Kobayashi (which means “small forest”) and Matsuyama (which means “pine mountain”). Since rice agriculture is a critical element of Japan’s history, it was common for many family names to include a reference to rice or rice paddies.

Surnames were also derived from the profession of the head of the family. Names like Watanabe (which includes the character for “crossing”) were commonly used for people who worked as boatmen that provided ferry services between islands and across waterways. Another example of a profession-related name is Hattori (which includes the character for “clothes”) for weavers.

Most popular Japanese surnames and their meanings

Compared to other countries in Asia, Japan has a significantly greater number of surnames in use by its population. There are over 100,000 recorded family names in Japan. Much of this was a result of the creation of common surnames in the late nineteenth century. Despite the vast variation in surnames, there are a number of family names that are most common. The top five surnames in Japan are Satō, Suzuki, Takahasi, Tanaka, and Wantanabe.

• Satō – Common in the Akita and Yamagata Prefectures, the surname Satō is composed of two characters that mean “help” and “wisteria” (a flowering plant found in Japan). Approximately two million Japanese people use the surname Satō.  
• Suzuki – The surname Suzuki is thought to have been derived from the old Japanese word susuki referring to an ear of rice, which was considered sacred in parts of the Wakayama and Mie Prefectures. This family name is used by 1.75 million people making it the second most common surname.
• Takahashi – The meaning of this surname is unclear, but literally translates to “tall bridge”. First referenced in the Nihon shoki (Chronicle of Japan) in the eighth century, it’s believed to have been adopted by families that lived near a bridge over a large ravine or mountain pass. Takahashi is used by 1.45 million Japanese people.
• Tanaka – The Tanaka surname, used by 1.35 million people, comes from Eastern Japan. The name consists of two characters meaning “rice paddy” and “middle”.
• Wantanabe – This surname has noble roots and refers to the Wantanabe clan of samurai dating back to the nineth century. Today, 1.15 million Japanese people use the surname Watanabe. 

Foreign influence on Japanese surnames

Family gathering on New Year's Day

Japanese names are often written using kanji, a collection of characters that were adopted from China during the fifth century. Kanji is a non-phonetic writing system that expresses complex ideas, feelings, or meanings through a small number of characters. Because the characters are not phonetic, there is variation in how Japanese surnames sound depending on the region or speaker.

During the ninth century, the simpler phonetic katakana alphabet was developed. Composed of 46 basic characters, compared to approximately 10,000 kanji characters, this provided an easier way for foreigners to access the Japanese language. The Japanese government provides certain limits on the use of kanji characters for Japanese names to avoid confusion and ensure literacy. However, katakana is also used to write Japanese names.

Celebrities with Japanese surnames

• Naomi Osaka – Professional tennis player and former world champion in women’s singles by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).
• Akira Kurosawa – Academy Award-winning director and filmmaker who produced over 30 films.
• Yoko Ono – Singer and songwriter most known for being married to the Beatles member John Lennon.
• Eisaku Satō – Former Prime Minister of Japan and 1974 Nobel Peace Prize winner.
• Hayao Miyazaki – The co-founder of Studio Ghibli and a famous animator, director, and producer. His works include internationally acclaimed films such as Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro.
• Toshiro Mifune – Actor and producer widely considered to be one of the greatest Japanese actors of all time.
• Pat Morita – Actor and comedian famous for his roles on the television show Happy Days and The Karate Kid film series.

Explore More About Japanese surnames

• Last names on MyHeritage
• Historical records from Asia on MyHeritage

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