Common and Popular Japanese Last Names – Family or Surnames With Meaning

Japanese Last Names are interesting. They qualify you in a way that people can easily understand. Understanding what names mean, their origin and what they mean is a distraction for most and an obsession with others. There is much to discover about the origin of our names. Some prefer to learn more about Indian or Ancient Greek names. However, one of my favorite types is Japanese surnames. They have a lot of significance to the Japanese people. Japanese Last Names Knowing their origins and background will help you understand their culture and history all the better. I will share with you some details about this surname.

Altogether, there are more than 300,000 surnames in use in the country of Japan. Some of the best known and most common Japanese surname are Sato, Takahashi, and Kobayashi. About half a million Japanese citizens have the name Sato. Japanese Last Names Slightly less use Takahashi. Kobayashi is attached to approximately 241,000 people. You may be familiar with a number of others, especially if you use Japanese-made devices or vehicles. They certainly put their influence on the world, turning many of their names into household terms that almost everyone has heard.

1. Abe 1 安倍, あべ Japanese
From Japanese 安 (a) meaning “peace” and 倍 (be) meaning “multiple times”.Abe 2 安部, あべ Japanese
From Japanese 安 (a) meaning “peace” and 部 (be) meaning “part, section”.

2. Akiyama 秋山, あきやま Japanese
From Japanese 秋 (aki) meaning “autumn” and 山 (yama) meaning “mountain, hill”.

3. Amano 天野, あまの Japanese
From Japanese 天 (ama) meaning “heaven” and 野 (no) meaning “field, wilderness”.

4. Aoki 青木, あおき Japanese
From Japanese 青 (ao) meaning “green, blue” and 木 (ki) meaning “tree, wood”.

5. Aoyama 青山, あおやま Japanese
From Japanese 青 (ao) meaning “green, blue” and 山 (yama) meaning “mountain, hill”.

6. Arima 有馬, ありま Japanese
From Japanese 有 (ari) meaning “have, possess” and 馬 (ma) meaning “horse”.

7. Beppu
Japanese spelling: 別府 Meaning: Separate borough.

8. Baba
Japanese spelling: ばば Meaning: Horse-riding ground or race track.

9. Bushida
Japanese spelling: ぶしだ Meaning: A Samurai, warrior, or warrior way.

10. Chiba 千葉, ちば Japanese
From Japanese 千 (chi) meaning “thousand” and 葉 (ha) meaning “leaf”.

11. Fujimori 藤森, ふじもり Japanese
From Japanese 藤 (fuji) meaning “wisteria” and 森 (mori) meaning “forest”.

12. Fujimoto 藤本, ふじもと Japanese
From Japanese 藤 (fuji) meaning “wisteria” and 本 (moto) meaning “base, root, origin”.

13. Fujioka 藤岡, ふじおか Japanese
From Japanese 藤 (fuji) meaning “wisteria” and 岡 (oka) meaning “hill, ridge”.

14. Fujisawa 藤沢, 藤澤, ふじさわ Japanese
From Japanese 藤 (fuji) meaning “wisteria” and 沢, 澤 (sawa) meaning “marsh”.

15. Fujita 藤田, ふじた Japanese
From Japanese 藤 (fuji) meaning “wisteria” and 田 (ta) meaning “field, rice paddy”.

16. Fujiwara 藤原, ふじわら Japanese
From Japanese 藤 (fuji) meaning “wisteria” and 原 (wara) meaning “field, plain”.

17. Fukui 福井, ふくい Japanese
Denoted a person who was from Fukui prefecture in Japan.

18. Endo/Endoh/Endou
Japanese spelling: 遠藤 Meaning: A distant wisteria.

19. Fukuda
Japanese spelling: 福田 Meaning: Lucky rice field, blessed rice paddy, or hope.

20. Fukushima
Japanese spelling: 福島 Meaning: Fortune or blessed island.

21. Furukawa
Japanese spelling: 古川 or 古河 Meaning: Old river.

22. Hamasaki 浜崎, はまさき Japanese
From Japanese 浜 (hama) meaning “beach, seashore” and 崎 (saki) meaning “cape, peninsula”.

23. Hasegawa 長谷川, はせがわ Japanese
From the Japanese place name 長谷 (Hase, not a standard reading) combined with 川 (kawa) meaning “river, stream”.

24. Hashimoto 橋本, はしもと Japanese
From Japanese 橋 (hashi) meaning “bridge” and 本 (moto) meaning “base, root, origin”.

25. Hayashi 林, はやし Japanese
From Japanese 林 (hayashi) meaning “forest”.

See also: 710 Japanese Names for Girls & Japanese Names for Boys With Meanings

26. Hidaka 日高, ひだか Japanese
From Japanese 日 (hi) meaning “sun, day” and 高 (taka) meaning “tall, high”.

27. Himura 緋村, ひむら Japanese
From Japanese 緋 (hi) meaning “scarlet, dark red” and 村 (mura) meaning “town, village”.

28. Hino 日野, 火野, ひの Japanese
From Japanese 日 (hi) meaning “sun, day” or 火 (hi) meaning “fire” and 野 (no) meaning “field, wilderness”.

29. Suzuki
Japanese spelling: 鈴木 Meaning: Bell wood.

30. Kutsuki
Japanese spelling: 朽木 Meaning: Decayed/rotted tree.

Chisaka
This is a unique and cool name for a baby girl who is hardy. The meaning of this Japanese surname is ‘one thousand hills’.

31. Ejiri
In this Japanese last name, the letter ‘E’ means ‘the river’ and ‘jiri’ means ‘behind’. If you have a baby girl born on the banks of a river, you can consider naming her Ejiri.

32. Fuji
A famous film roll brand has made this Japanese surname well known across the globe already. The meaning of the name is ‘dweller near the place where wisteria grows’.

33. Fujiki
This is a variation of the similar Japanese last name. This name means ‘a tree where wisteria flower is grown’.

34. Furuya
This could be an interesting name for a baby girl. The meaning of this name is ‘ancient valley’.

35. Goda
This is an occupational surname in Japan borne by the farmer families for ages. The meaning of the name is ‘connected to rice paddy’

36. Genji
This Japanese last name has two meanings, and both of them are very interesting. The name means ‘source’ or ‘two beginnings’.

37. Gushiken
If you are looking for a name which you want to pick for a confident baby, this is it. The name literally means, ‘strong-willed’.

38. Hara
The name is a cute name for a baby boy. It is derived from a familiar Japanese last name which means ‘the meadow’.

39. Hasegawa
This is another Japanese last name connected to nature. It means ‘long valley river’.

40. Hashimoto
This unique Japanese name is a perfect name for a newborn baby suggested by the parent. The name means ‘true bridge’, and refers to how the baby acts as a bridge between the parents successfully.

41. Hada
A very common Japanese surname, Hada refers to the field where you can fly. This last name is mostly found in Eastern Japan.

42. Haga
Predominantly found in North-Eastern Japan, this last name means ‘celebratory fragrance’. It makes a perfect name for a newborn.

43. Hagino
If you are looking for a unique Japanese last name for your baby boy that will be a perfect first name too, try this name. It means ‘a field covered by the bush’.

44. Haku
People who have a special interest in literature would be able to connect to this Japanese surname. The name means ‘poetic’.

45. Hamada
This name is used as both last name and first name in Japan. It is very popular in the Ryukyu and Shikoku Islands. The name means ‘paddy field on the seashore’.

46. Handa
This is another beautiful Japanese last name. The name is a perfect pick for a baby girl as it means ‘flower field’.

47. Haruki
If you are an avid reader of Murakami’s novels, you already know of this name. This name is used as both first and last name of people in Japan. The name means ‘tree of spring season’.

48. Hori
This surname originated in Central Japan. Many of its bearers are also from the Ryukyu Islands. This surname means ‘moat’.

49. Ine
This is a rare last name in Japan means ‘rice plant’.

50. Ikeda
This is another very beautiful Japanese last name. The name means ‘a rice field by the pond’.

Japanese Last Names

51. Ishikawa
A very common Japanese surname, Ishikawa refers to the ‘stone river’. This unique Japanese name is a perfect name for a newborn baby.

52. Ishii
The name means ‘resides in a rocky place’.

53. Ishida
This is another Japanese last name connected to the rice field. The name means ‘stone rice field’.

54. Imai
This Japanese last name has a very interesting meaning. It means ‘new town’.

55. Imada
This is a surname in Japan borne by the families with an origin at the Taira clan. This surname means ‘new rice paddy’.

56. Iida
Here is another Japanese last name connected to the rice field. The name means ‘paddy of cooked rice’.

57. Ishizaki
This is one of the oldest Japanese last names; it means ‘stone peninsula.’

58. Iwata
This is a common name in Japan used as a last name. The word means ‘stony paddy field’.

59. Kagawa
This is another beautiful name for a baby that the family can suggest. Kagawa means ‘a fragrant river’.

60. Kamada
This beautiful Japanese surname means ‘sickle field’. This is a common surname in the Ryukyu Islands.

61. Kamei
This name sounds beautiful, and it has a beautiful meaning, too. The name is originated from a noble family in Western Japan, and it means ‘a well full of turtles’.

62. Kouda
This interesting Japanese last name that means ‘long rice field’. It is a perfect name for a tall kid.

63. Kibe
This habitational Japanese name belongs to the Kibe village in Omi. This name was borne by the priests of the Buddhist temples of the place.

64. Kojima
Another well known Japanese last name, Kojima, has an interesting meaning. It translates into ‘a small island’.

65. Kudo
This is one of the most interesting Japanese last names which everyone is quite familiar with. It means ‘construct wisteria’.

66. Kamida
If you are a rice lover, you will consider this Japanese last name. Commonly used in west-central Japan, this last name means ‘upper rice field’.

67. Kaneko
This is a Japanese surname which is quite popular in eastern Japan. The name means ‘Golden child’.

68. Kondo
This Japanese name means ‘near wisteria’, and it is perfect for a kid who loves flowers.

69. Kokawa
This name can be used as a unique baby name. The meaning of the name is ‘small river’.

70. Kamiyama
The meaning of this Japanese surname is ‘God’.

71. Kasai
In the Ryukyu Islands, this last name means ‘bamboo hat’. In the rest of Japan, it means ‘well’.

72. Kase
This Japanese name means ‘add’ or ‘strait’.

73. Katayama
The nature lover Japanese have their last names mostly related to nature. This last name means ‘mountain on the side’ and is popular in the Ryukyu Islands.

74. Endo
This is another topological surname for the Japanese. It means ‘a distant wisteria’.

75. Kato
This Japanese last name means ‘increase wisteria’, and it is mostly found in the south-eastern seaboard.

76. Kido
This is another unique Japanese name which means ‘wooden door’ or ‘castle door’. It is a cute name for a newborn.

77. Kita
This Japanese surname is well known for soccer lovers already. The meaning of the name is ‘north field of trees’.

78. Doi
Japanese spelling: 土井, 土居, 土肥 Meaning: Earth town, earth residence, or earth fertilizer.

79. Fueki
Japanese spelling: 笛木 Meaning: Wooden flute/pipe.

80. Tachi
Japanese spelling: 舘 or 立 Meaning: Palace or rise.

81. Baishō
Japanese spelling: 倍賞 Meaning: Double prize.

82. Honda
Japanese spelling: 本田, 本多 or 誉田 Meaning: Root rice field, origin rice field, or honor rice field.

83. Ishioka
Japanese spelling: 石岡 Meaning: Stone mount/stone hill.

84. Kikumoto
Japanese spelling: 菊本 Meaning: Chrysanthemum book.

85. Okazaki
Japanese spelling: 岡崎 Meaning: Split rock.

86. Saito
Japanese spelling: 斉藤 Meaning: Purity and worship.

87. Hirano 平野, ひらの Japanese
From Japanese 平 (hira) meaning “level, even, peaceful” and 野 (no) meaning “field, wilderness”.

88. Hisakawa 久川, ひさかわ Japanese
From Japanese 久 (hisa) meaning “long time ago” and 川 (kawa) meaning “river, stream”.

89. Honda 本田, ほんだ Japanese
From Japanese 本 (hon) meaning “root, origin, source” and 田 (ta) meaning “field, rice paddy”.

90. Hoshino 星野, ほしの Japanese
From Japanese 星 (hoshi) meaning “star” and 野 (no) meaning “field, wilderness”.

91. Ikeda 池田, いけだ Japanese
From Japanese 池 (ike) meaning “pool, pond” and 田 (ta) meaning “field, rice paddy”.

92. Inaba 稲葉, いなば Japanese
From Japanese 稲 (ina) meaning “rice plant” and 葉 (ha) meaning “leaf”.

93. Inoue 井上, いのうえ Japanese
Means “above the well”, from Japanese 井 (i) meaning “well, mine shaft, pit”, an unwritten possessive marker の (no), and 上 (ue) meaning “above, top, upper”.

94. Ishida 石田, いしだ Japanese
From Japanese 石 (ishi) meaning “stone” and 田 (ta) meaning “field, rice paddy”.

95. Ishikawa 石川, いしかわ Japanese
From Japanese 石 (ishi) meaning “stone” and 川 (kawa) meaning “river, stream”.

96. Ito 伊藤, いとう Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 伊藤Itō 伊藤, いとう Japanese
From Japanese 伊 (i) meaning “this” and 藤 (tō) meaning “wisteria”. The final character may indicate a connection to the Fujiwara clan.

Itou 伊藤, いとう Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 伊藤

97. Iwai 岩井, いわい Japanese
From Japanese 岩 (iwa) meaning “cliff, rocks” and 井 (i) meaning “well, mine shaft, pit”.

98. Iwata 岩田, いわた Japanese
From Japanese 岩 (iwa) meaning “cliff, rocks” and 田 (ta) meaning “field, rice paddy”.

99. Izumi 泉, いずみ Japanese
From Japanese 泉 (izumi) meaning “spring, fountain”.

100. Kamiya 神谷, かみや Japanese
From Japanese 神 (kami) meaning “god” and 谷 (ya) meaning “valley”.

Japanese Last Names

101. Kanda 神田, かんだ Japanese
From Japanese 神 (kan) meaning “god” and 田 (ta) meaning “field, rice paddy”.

102. Kaneko 金子, かねこ Japanese
From Japanese 金 (kane) meaning “gold, metal, money” and 子 (ko) meaning “child”.

103. Kanzaki 神崎, かんざき Japanese
From Japanese 神 (kan) meaning “god” and 崎 (saki) meaning “cape, peninsula”.

104. Kato 加藤, かとう Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 加藤 (see Katō).Katō 加藤, かとう Japanese
From Japanese 加 (ka) meaning “add, increase” and 藤 (tō) meaning “wisteria”. The latter character may indicate a connection to the Fujiwara clan.

Katou 加藤, かとう Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 加藤 (see Katō).

105. Kawaguchi 川口, かわぐち Japanese
Means “mouth of the river”, from Japanese 川 (kawa) meaning “river, stream” and 口 (kuchi) meaning “mouth, entrance”.

106. Kawakami 川上, かわかみ Japanese
From Japanese 川 (kawa) meaning “river, stream” and 上 (kami) meaning “above, top, upper”.Kawasaki 川崎, かわさき Japanese
From Japanese 川 (kawa) meaning “river, stream” and 崎 (saki) meaning “cape, peninsula”.

107. Kazama 風間, かざま Japanese
From Japanese 風 (kaza) meaning “wind, style” and 間 (ma) meaning “among, between”.

108. Kimura 木村, きむら Japanese
From Japanese 木 (ki) meaning “tree, wood” and 村 (mura) meaning “town, village”.

109. Kishimoto 岸本, きしもと JapaneseFrom Japanese 岸 (kishi) meaning “beach, shore, bank” and 本 (moto) meaning “base, root, origin”.

110. Kita 北, きた Japanese
From Japanese 北 (kita) meaning “north”.

111. Kitagawa 北川, きたがわ Japanese
From Japanese 北 (kita) meaning “north” and 川 (kawa) meaning “river, stream”.

112. Kobayashi 小林, こばやし Japanese
From Japanese 小 (ko) meaning “small” and 林 (hayashi) meaning “forest”.

113. Koizumi 小泉, こいずみ Japanese
From Japanese 小 (ko) meaning “small” and 泉 (izumi) meaning “spring, fountain”. A notable bearer of this name is Junichiro Koizumi (1942-), who was Prime Minister of Japan.

114. Konishi 小西, こにし Japanese
From Japanese 小 (ko) meaning “small” and 西 (nishi) meaning “west”.

115. Kubo 久保, くぼ Japanese
From Japanese 久 (ku) meaning “long time ago” and 保 (ho) meaning “protect”.

116. Kumagai 熊谷, くまがい Japanese
From Japanese 熊 (kuma) meaning “bear” and 谷 (gai) meaning “valley”.

117. Kuroda 黒田, くろだ Japanese
From Japanese 黒 (kuro) meaning “black” and 田 (ta) meaning “field, rice paddy”.

118. Kuroki 黒木, くろき Japanese
From Japanese 黒 (kuro) meaning “black” and 木 (ki) meaning “tree, wood”.

119. Kurosawa 黒沢, 黒澤, くろさわ Japanese
From Japanese 黒 (kuro) meaning “black” and 沢, 澤 (sawa) meaning “marsh”. A notable bearer was Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998), a Japanese film director.

120. Kusumoto 楠本, くすもと Japanese
From Japanese 楠 (kusu) meaning “camphor tree” and 本 (moto) meaning “base, root, origin”.

121. Kato/Katō
Japanese spelling: 加藤 Meaning: Increase and wisteria. Wisteria are blue and purple flowers that bloom in the spring and early summer. They are a vining plant and native to China, Korea, and Japan.

122. Hamasaki
Japanese spelling: 浜崎 Meaning: Beach peninsula.

123. Fujii
Japanese spelling: 藤井 Meaning: Well of wisteria.

124. Chiba
Japanese spelling: 千葉 Meaning: Thousand leaves.

125. Aikawa
Japanese spelling: 相河 Meaning: Ai means together or mutual, while kawa means river.

126. Maeda 前田, まえだ Japanese
From Japanese 前 (mae) meaning “front, forward” and 田 (ta) meaning “field, rice paddy”.

127. Maekawa 前川, まえかわ Japanese
From Japanese 前 (mae) meaning “front, forward” and 川 (kawa) meaning “river, stream”.

128. Maki 1 牧, まき Japanese
From Japanese 牧 (maki) meaning “shepherd, tend cattle”.Maki 2 真木, まき Japanese
From Japanese 真 (ma) meaning “real, genuine” and 木 (ki) meaning “tree”.

129. Matsubara 松原, まつばら Japanese
From Japanese 松 (matsu) meaning “pine tree, fir tree” and 原 (hara) meaning “field, plain”.

130. Matsuda 松田, まつだ Japanese
From Japanese 松 (matsu) meaning “pine tree, fir tree” and 田 (ta) meaning “field, rice paddy”.

131. Kikuchi
This is an interesting Japanese last name; it means ‘chrysanthemum pond’.

132. Kubo
This could be an interesting name for a baby boy. It means ‘sunken ground’.

133. Kurosawa
Another prominent Japanese last name which is popular among the movie lovers is Kurosawa. The name means ‘black swamp’.

134. Machida
Japanese seem to be quite attached to rice; their family names bear the same evidence. This name means ‘town field’ or ‘town rice patty’.

135. Masuda
This name means ‘increasing rice paddy’.

136. Maekawa
This Japanese last name means ‘river in the front’, and it is found in western Japan and the Ryukyu Islands.

137. Makino
If you are looking for a name for a baby who is an animal lover, this is it! The name literally means, ‘shepherd field’.

138. Matsubara
The name is a cute one for a baby girl; it is derived from a familiar Japanese last name which means ‘pine tree plain’.

139. Matsumura
This is another Japanese last name inspired by nature. The name means ‘pine tree village’.

140. Matsushita
This unique Japanese name is a perfect name for a newborn baby suggested by the parent. The name means ‘beneath the pine tree’.

141. Miura
This old Japanese surname refers to the ‘three bays’. The last name is mostly available in Sagami.
Nagasawa Predominantly found in North-Eastern Japan, this last name means ‘long swamp’.

142. Nagata
If you are looking for a unique Japanese last name for your baby boy which will be a perfect first name too, try this. The name means ‘long rice paddy’.

143. Nakada
This name is also associated with rice paddy and means ‘central rice paddy’.

144. Nakano
This is another very beautiful Japanese last name. The name means ‘central field’.

145. Nakayama
The name means ‘central mountain’.

146. Nishio
This last name originated in Central Japan. Many of its bearers are also from the Ryukyu Islands. The surname means ‘western male’.

147. Noguchi
This is one of the most attractive names in Japan. The meaning of this name is ‘entrance of the field’.

148. Nomura
This is a rare last name in Japan which means ‘village in the field’. The name is a perfect pick for a baby girl.

149. Oba
This is another very beautiful Japanese last name. The name means ‘large garden’.

150. Matsumoto 松本, まつもと Japanese
From one of the many places with this name in Japan, derived from Japanese 松 (matsu) meaning “pine tree, fir tree” and 本 (moto) meaning “base, root, origin”.

Japanese Last Names

151. Matsumura 松村, まつむら Japanese
From Japanese 松 (matsu) meaning “pine tree, fir tree” and 村 (mura) meaning “town, village”.

152. Matsuoka 松岡, まつおか Japanese
From Japanese 松 (matsu) meaning “pine tree, fir tree” and 岡 (oka) meaning “hill, ridge”.

153. Matsushita 松下, まつした Japanese
From Japanese 松 (matsu) meaning “pine tree, fir tree” and 下 (shita) meaning “under, below”.

154. Minami 南, みなみ Japanese
From Japanese 南 (minami) meaning “south”.

155. Miura 三浦, みうら Japanese
From Japanese 三 (mi) meaning “three” and 浦 (ura) meaning “bay, inlet”.

156. Miyagawa 宮川, みやがわ Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning “temple, shrine, palace” and 川 (kawa) meaning “river, stream”.

157. Miyajima 宮島, みやじま Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning “temple, shrine, palace” and 島 (shima) meaning “island”.

158. Miyake 三宅, みやけ Japanese
From Japanese 三 (mi) meaning “three” and 宅 (yake) meaning “house, home”.

159. Miyamoto 宮本, みやもと Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning “temple, shrine, palace” and 本 (moto) meaning “base, root, origin”. A notable bearer is video game pioneer Shigeru Miyamoto (1952-).

160. Miyashita 宮下, みやした Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning “temple, shrine, palace” and 下 (shita) meaning “under, below”.

161. Miyata 宮田, みやた Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning “temple, shrine, palace” and 田 (ta) meaning “field, rice paddy”.

162. Miyazaki 宮崎, みやざき Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning “temple, shrine, palace” and 崎 (saki) meaning “cape, peninsula”.

163. Mizuno 水野, みずの Japanese
From Japanese 水 (mizu) meaning “water” and 野 (no) meaning “field, wilderness”.

164. Mizushima 水島, みずしま Japanese
From Japanese 水 (mizu) meaning “water” and 島 (shima) meaning “island”.

165. Mizutani 水谷, みずたに Japanese
From Japanese 水 (mizu) meaning “water” and 谷 (tani) meaning “valley”.

166. Mochizuki 望月, もちづき Japanese
Means “full moon” in Japanese, a compound of 望 (mochi) meaning “wish, desire” and 月 (tsuki) meaning “moon”.

167. Mori 森, もり Japanese
From Japanese 森 (mori) meaning “forest”.

168. Morikawa 森川, もりかわ Japanese
From Japanese 森 (mori) meaning “forest” and 川 (kawa) meaning “river, stream”.

169. Morimoto 森本, もりもと Japanese
From Japanese 森 (mori) meaning “forest” and 本 (moto) meaning “base, root, origin”.

170. Morishita 森下, もりした Japanese
From Japanese 森 (mori) meaning “forest” and 下 (shita) meaning “under, below”.

171. Morita 森田, もりた Japanese
From Japanese 森 (mori) meaning “forest” and 田 (ta) meaning “field, rice paddy”.

172. Moriyama 森山, もりやま Japanese
From Japanese 森 (mori) meaning “forest” and 山 (yama) meaning “mountain, hill”.

173. Moto 本, もと Japanese
From Japanese 本 (moto) meaning “base, root, origin”. More commonly it is the final character in Japanese surnames.Mutō 武藤, むとう Japanese
From Japanese 武 (mu) meaning “military, martial” and 藤 (tō) meaning “wisteria”. The final character may indicate a connection to the Fujiwara clan.

174. Nakahara 中原, なかはら Japanese
From Japanese 中 (naka) meaning “middle” and 原 (hara) meaning “field, plain”.

175. Nakai 中井, なかい Japanese
From Japanese 中 (naka) meaning “middle” and 井 (i) meaning “well, mine shaft, pit”.

176. Nakajima 中島, なかじま Japanese
From Japanese 中 (naka) meaning “middle” and 島 (shima) meaning “island”.

177. Nakamura 中村, なかむら Japanese
From Japanese 中 (naka) meaning “middle” and 村 (mura) meaning “town, village”.

178. Nakano 中野, なかの Japanese
From Japanese 中 (naka) meaning “middle” and 野 (no) meaning “field, wilderness”.

179. Nakashima 中島, なかしま Japanese
Variant of Nakajima.

180. Nishikawa 西川, にしかわ Japanese
From Japanese 西 (nishi) meaning “west” and 川 (kawa) meaning “river, stream”.

181. Nishimura 西村, にしむら Japanese
From Japanese 西 (nishi) meaning “west” and 村 (mura) meaning “town, village”.

182. Nishiyama 西山, にしやま Japanese
From Japanese 西 (nishi) meaning “west” and 山 (yama) meaning “mountain, hill”.

183. Noguchi 野口, のぐち Japanese
From Japanese 野 (no) meaning “field, wilderness” and 口 (kuchi) meaning “mouth, entrance”.

184. Ogawa 小川, おがわ Japanese
From Japanese 小 (o) meaning “small” and 川 (kawa) meaning “river, stream”.

185. Okabe 岡部, おかべ Japanese
From Japanese 岡 (oka) meaning “hill, ridge” and 部 (be) meaning “part, section”.

186. Okamoto 岡本, おかもと Japanese
From Japanese 岡 (oka) meaning “hill, ridge” and 本 (moto) meaning “base, root, origin”.

187. Okamura 岡村, おかむら Japanese
From Japanese 岡 (oka) meaning “hill, ridge” and 村 (mura) meaning “town, village”.

188. Okazaki 岡崎, おかざき Japanese
From Japanese 岡 (oka) meaning “hill, ridge” and 崎 (saki) meaning “cape, peninsula”.

189. Okumura 奥村, おくむら Japanese
From Japanese 奥 (oku) meaning “inside” and 村 (mura) meaning “town, village”.

190. Ono 小野, おの Japanese
From Japanese 小 (o) meaning “small” and 野 (no) meaning “field, wilderness”.

191. Ōshiro 大城, おおしろ Japanese
From Japanese 大 (ō) meaning “big, great” and 城 (shiro) meaning “castle”.

192. Saito 斎藤, さいとう Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 斎藤 (see Saitō).

193. Saitō 斎藤, さいとう Japanese
From Japanese 斎 (sai) meaning “purification, worship” and 藤 (tō) meaning “wisteria”. The latter character could indicate a connection to the Fujiwara clan.

194. Saitou 斎藤, さいとう Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 斎藤 (see Saitō).

195. Sakamoto 坂本, 阪本, さかもと Japanese
From Japanese 坂, 阪 (saka) meaning “slope” and 本 (moto) meaning “base, root, origin”.

196. Sanada 真田, さなだ Japanese
From Japanese 真 (sana) meaning “real, genuine” and 田 (ta) meaning “field, rice paddy”.

197. Sano 佐野, さの Japanese
From Japanese 佐 (sa) meaning “help, aid” and 野 (no) meaning “field, wilderness”.

198. Sasaki 佐々木, ささき Japanese
From Japanese 佐 (sa) meaning “help, aid” (repeated, indicated by the iteration mark 々) and 木 (ki) meaning “tree, wood”.

199. Sato 佐藤, さとう Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 佐藤 (see Satō). Meaning: Sugar.Satō 佐藤, さとう Japanese
From Japanese 佐 (sa) meaning “help, aid” and 藤 (tō) meaning “wisteria”. The final character might indicate a connection to the Fujiwara clan. This is the most common surname in Japan.

Satou 佐藤, さとう Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 佐藤 (see Satō).

200. Seki 関, せき Japanese
From Japanese 関 (seki) meaning “frontier pass”.

Japanese Last Names

201. Serizawa 芹沢, 芹澤, せりざわ Japanese
From Japanese 芹 (seri) meaning “celery” and 沢, 澤 (sawa) meaning “marsh”.

202. Shibuya 渋谷, しぶや Japanese
From Japanese 渋 (shibu) meaning “astringent, rough” and 谷 (ya) meaning “valley”.

203. Shimada 島田, しまだ Japanese
From Japanese 島 (shima) meaning “island” and 田 (ta) meaning “field, rice paddy”.

204. Shimizu 清水, しみず Japanese
From Japanese 清 (shi) meaning “clear, pure, clean” and 水 (mizu) meaning “water”.

205. Shinkawa 新川, しんかわ Japanese
From Japanese 新 (shin) meaning “fresh, new” and 川 (kawa) meaning “river, stream”.

206. Shinoda 篠田, しのだ Japanese
From Japanese 篠 (shino) meaning “dwarf bamboo” and 田 (ta) meaning “field, rice paddy”.

207. Shinohara 篠原, しのはら Japanese
From Japanese 篠 (shino) meaning “dwarf bamboo” and 原 (hara) meaning “field, plain”.

208. Shirai 白井, しらい Japanese
From Japanese 白 (shira) meaning “white” and 井 (i) meaning “well, mine shaft, pit”.

209. Shiraishi 白石, しらいし Japanese
From Japanese 白 (shira) meaning “white” and 石 (ishi) meaning “stone”.

210. Tanaka
Japanese spelling: 田中 Meaning: Center of the rice paddy.

211. Yamamoto
Japanese spelling: 山本 Meaning: Base of the mountain.

212. Yamaguchi
Japanese spelling: 山口 Meaning: The mouth of the mountain.

213. Yoshino
Japanese spelling: 吉野 Meaning: Lucky field.

214. Yogi
Japanese spelling: ヨギ Meaning: Person who practices yoga.

215. Yoshikawa
Japanese spelling: 吉川 Meaning: Lucky river.

216. Abiko
Japanese spelling: アビコ Meaning: My grandson.

217. Agawa
Japanese spelling: 誘拐された Meaning: The corner of a river or a stream.

218. Shiratori 白鳥, しらとり Japanese
From Japanese 白 (shira) meaning “white” and 鳥 (tori) meaning “bird”.

219. Sugiura 杉浦, すぎうら Japanese
From Japanese 杉 (sugi) meaning “cedar” and 浦 (ura) meaning “bay, inlet”.

220. Sugiyama 杉山, すぎやま Japanese
From Japanese 杉 (sugi) meaning “cedar” and 山 (yama) meaning “mountain, hill”.

221. Suzuki 鈴木, すずき Japanese
From Japanese 鈴 (suzu) meaning “bell” and 木 (ki) meaning “tree, wood”. This is the second most common surname in Japan.

222. Gato
Japanese spelling: ガト Meaning: Behind wisteria.

223. Nakamura
Japanese spelling: 中村 Meaning: Middle village.

224. Yoshida
Japanese spelling: 吉田 Meaning: Lucky ricefield.

225. Yamada
Japanese spelling: 山田 Meaning: Mountain field or mountain rice paddy.

226. Sasaki
Japanese spelling: 佐々木 Meaning: Assistant, help.

227. Matsumoto
Japanese spelling: 松本 Meaning: Base of the pine tree.

228. Inoue
Japanese spelling: 井上 Meaning: Above a well.

229. Kimura
Japanese spelling: 木村 Meaning: Tree village.

230. Tachibana 橘, たちばな Japanese
From Japanese 橘 (tachibana) meaning “orange, tangerine”.

231. Takahashi 高橋, たかはし Japanese
From Japanese 高 (taka) meaning “tall, high” and 橋 (hashi) meaning “bridge”.

232. Chikafuji
Japanese spelling: ちかふじ Meaning: Near the wisteria.

233. Chinen
Japanese spelling: 知念 Meaning: Feelings or a thousand years.

234. Daigo
Japanese spelling: 大吾 Meaning: Great realization or enlightenment.

235. Eguchi
Japanese spelling: 江口 Meaning: The mouth of the river.

236. Takeda 武田, たけだ Japanese
From Japanese 武 (take) meaning “military, martial” and 田 (ta) meaning “field, rice paddy”.

237. Takenaka 竹中, たけなか Japanese
Means “dweller amongst bamboo”, from Japanese 竹 (take) meaning “bamboo” and 中 (naka) meaning “middle”.

238. Takeuchi 竹内, たけうち Japanese
From Japanese 竹 (take) meaning “bamboo” and 内 (uchi) meaning “inside”.

239. Tamura 田村, たむら Japanese
From Japanese 田 (ta) meaning “field, rice paddy” and 村 (mura) meaning “town, village”.

240. Tanaka 田中, たなか Japanese
Means “dweller in the rice fields”, from Japanese 田 (ta) meaning “field, rice paddy” and 中 (naka) meaning “middle”.

241. Tani 谷, たに Japanese
From Japanese 谷 (tani) meaning “valley”.

242. Ebina
Japanese spelling: 蝦名 Meaning: Shrimp and distinguished.

243. Goda/Gōda
Japanese spelling: 合田 or 郷田 Meaning: Rice paddy or village rice paddy.

244. Hagimoto
Japanese spelling: 萩本 Meaning: Bush clover and book/present.

245. Sawai
Japanese spelling: 沢井 Meaning: Swamp well.

246. Taniguchi 谷口, たにぐち Japanese
From Japanese 谷 (tani) meaning “valley” and 口 (kuchi) meaning “mouth, entrance”.

247. Tsukuda 佃, つくだ Japanese
From Japanese 佃 (tsukuda) meaning “cultivated rice field”.

248. Tsunoda 角田, つのだ Japanese
From Japanese 角 (tsuno) meaning “point, corner” and 田 (ta) meaning “field, rice paddy”.

249. Uchiyama 内山, うちやま Japanese
From Japanese 内 (uchi) meaning “inside” and 山 (yama) meaning “mountain, hill”.

250. Ueda 上田, うえだ Japanese
From Japanese 上 (ue) meaning “above, top, upper” and 田 (ta) meaning “field, rice paddy”.

Japanese Last Names

251. Uehara 上原, うえはら Japanese
From Japanese 上 (ue) meaning “above, top, upper” and 原 (hara) meaning “field, plain”.

252. Ueno 上野, うえの Japanese
From Japanese 上 (ue) meaning “above, top, upper” and 野 (no) meaning “field, wilderness”.

253. Wada 和田, わだ Japanese
From Japanese 和 (wa) meaning “harmony, peace” and 田 (ta) meaning “field, rice paddy”.

254. Watanabe 渡辺, わたなべ Japanese
From Japanese 渡 (wata) meaning “cross, ferry” and 辺 (nabe) meaning “area, place”.

255. Yamada 山田, やまだ Japanese
From Japanese 山 (yama) meaning “mountain” and 田 (ta) meaning “field, rice paddy”.

256. Yamaguchi 山口, やまぐち Japanese
From Japanese 山 (yama) meaning “mountain” and 口 (kuchi) meaning “mouth, entrance”.
Olympic figure-skating champion Kristi Yamaguchi (1971-) bears this name.

257. Yamamoto 山本, やまもと Japanese
From Japanese 山 (yama) meaning “mountain” and 本 (moto) meaning “base, root, origin”.

258. Yamasaki 山崎, やまさき Japanese
Variant of Yamazaki.

259. Yamashita 山下, やました Japanese
From Japanese 山 (yama) meaning “mountain” and 下 (shita) meaning “under, below”.

260. Yamauchi 山内, やまうち Japanese
From Japanese 山 (yama) meaning “mountain” and 内 (uchi) meaning “inside”.

261. Yamazaki 山崎, やまざき Japanese
From Japanese 山 (yama) meaning “mountain” and 崎 (saki) meaning “cape, peninsula”.

262. Yasuda 安田, 保田, やすだ Japanese
From Japanese 安 (yasu) meaning “peace, quiet” or 保 (yasu) meaning “protect, maintain” and 田 (ta) meaning “field, rice paddy”.

263. Sakai
Japanese spelling: 境 Meaning: Border or territory.

264. Ogawa
A very common Japanese surname, Ogawa refers to ‘a small river’.

265. Ohara
If you are looking for a unique Japanese last name for your baby girl which will be a perfect first name too, try this. The name means ‘large plain’.

266. Okamoto
This is another Japanese last name close to nature. It means ‘one who lives at the base of the hill’.

267. Omori
This Japanese last name has a very interesting meaning. It means ‘large grove’.

268. Otake
This is a surname in Japan borne by the families living in Southeast Japan. The name literally means ‘large bamboo’.

269. Sone
This is a unique baby name which is one of the oldest Japanese last names. It means ‘root’.

270. Wakabayashi
Japanese spelling: 若林 Meaning: Young forest.

271. Takao
Japanese spelling: 高雄 or 高尾 Meaning: Bulky man or warrior.

272. Shima
Japanese spelling: 志麻 or 志摩 Meaning: Island.

273. Nishikawa
Japanese spelling: 西川 Meaning: Western river.

274. Masaki
Japanese spelling: 真崎 Meaning: Correct or tree.

275. Yoshida 吉田, よしだ Japanese
From Japanese 吉 (yoshi) meaning “good luck” and 田 (ta) meaning “field, rice paddy”.

276. Yoshino 吉野, よしの Japanese
From Japanese 吉 (yoshi) meaning “good luck” and 野 (no) meaning “field, wilderness”.

277. Yoshioka 吉岡, よしおか Japanese
From Japanese 吉 (yoshi) meaning “good luck” and 岡 (oka) meaning “hill, ridge”.

278. Yukimura 雪村, ゆきむら Japanese
From Japanese 雪 (yuki) meaning “snow” and 村 (mura) meaning “town, village”.

279. Kiyama
Japanese spelling: 木山, 喜山 Meaning: Tree mountain.

280. Nakaya
Japanese spelling: 仲谷, 中谷 or 中矢 Meaning: Between the valley, in the center of the valley, or arrow in the center.

281. Bando
Japanese spelling: 発表 Meaning: East of the slope.

282. Takahashi
Japanese spelling: 高橋 Meaning: High bridge.

283. Watanabe
Japanese spelling: 渡辺 Meaning: Patryonic name derived from the Watanabe clan.

284. Kobayashi
Japanese spelling: 小林 Meaning: Small forest.

285. Ando
Japanese spelling: 安藤 or 安東 Meaning: Peaceful wisteria, peaceful east or pacify the east.

286. Ageda
Japanese spelling: 上田 Meaning: Upper rice field.

More Japanese Last Names

287. Hayashi
288. Mori
289. Saito (different kanji)
290. Ono
291. Fujimoto
292. Hirano
293. Matsuo
294. Onishi
295. Sugimoto
296. Yamada
297. Shimizu
298. forest
299. Yamazaki
300. Nakajima
301. Woods
302. Yamashita
303. stream
304. Goto
305. Okada
306. Maeda
307. Fujita
308. Sakamoto
309. Murakami
310. Ota
311. Nishimura
312. Takeuchi
313. Nakagawa
314. Matsuda
315. Harada
316. Tamura
317. Fujiwara
318. Zhongshan
319. Small island
320. Wada
321. Morita
322. Uchida
323. Shibata
324. original
325. Takagi
326. Yokoyama
327. Miyazaki
328. Ueda
329. Shimada
330. Ohno
331. Miyamoto
332. Sugiyama
333. Maruyama
334. Takada
335. Murata
336. Plain
337. Otsuka
338. Sugawara
339. Takeda
340. Arai
341. Oyama
342. Sakurai
343. Iwasaki
344. Sano
345. Taniguchi
346. Ueno
347. Matsui
348. Kono
349. Ichikawa
350. Kinoshita
351. Adachi
352. Akagi
353. Akamine
354. Aki
355. Akiyama
356. Amano
357. Amari
358. Amaya
359. Anno
360. Anzai
361. Aoyama
362. Arakaki
363. Arakawa
364. Araki
365. Arata
366. Araya
367. Arima
368. Arita
369. Asa
370. Asai
371. Asano
372. Asato
373. Ashikaga
374. Azuma
375. Ban
376. Chino
377. Date
378. Domen
379. Enomoto
380. Eto
381. Fujikawa
382. Fujimori
383. Fujimura
384. Fujino
385. Fujioka
386. Fukuhara
387. Fukui
388. Fukumoto
389. Fukunaga
390. Funai
391. Furuta
392. Furutani
393. Fuse
394. Gima
395. Go
396. Goya
397. Hagiwara
398. Hamamoto
399. Hano
400. Hase

More Japanese Last Names

401. Hata
402. Hatanaka
403. Hattori
404. Hayakawa
405. Hayashida
406. Higa
407. Higashi
408. Higuchi
409. Hino
410. Hirabayashi
411. Hirai
412. Hiraoka
413. Hirata
414. Hirayama
415. Hironaka
416. Hirose
417. Hirota
418. Hoga
419. Pagination
420. Hokama
421. Hora
422. Horie
423. Horiuchi
424. Hoshino
425. Ida
426. Ide
427. Igarashi
428. Ige
429. Iha
430. Ike
431. Ikehara
432. Imamura
433. Inaba
434. Inouye
435. Isa
436. Iseri
437. Ishibashi
438. Ishihara
439. Ishimoto
440. Isobe
441. Itoh
442. Iwai
443. Iwamoto
444. Izumi
445. Jin
446. Jo
447. Juba
448. Kaba
449. Kai
450. Kajiwara
451. Kamiya
452. Kanai
453. Kanda
454. Kanemoto
455. Kaneshiro
456. Kanno
457. Kano
458. Kataoka
459. Kawabata
460. Kawaguchi
461. Kawahara
462. Kawai
463. Kawakami
464. Kawamoto
465. Kawamura
466. Kawano
467. Kawasaki
468. Kawashima
469. Kawata
470. Kaya
471. Kida
472. Kimoto
473. Kishi
474. Kishimoto
475. Kitagawa
476. Kitamura
477. Kiyabu
478. Kobashigawa
479. Kobe
480. Koda
481. Kodama
482. Koga
483. Koike
484. Koizumi
485. Komatsu
486. Kon
487. Konda
488. Konishi
489. Konno
490. Konya
491. Koyama
492. Koyanagi
493. Kuba
494. Kubota
495. Kumagai
496. Kuno
497. Kuramoto
498. Kurata
499. Kure
500. Kurihara
501. Kuroda
502. Kurokawa
503. Kuse
504. Kusumoto
505. Kuwahara
506. Machi
507. Mae
508. Maita
509. Maki
510. Mano
511. Mase
512. Matsunaga
513. Matsuno
514. Matsuoka
515. Matsushima
516. Matsuura
517. Matsuyama
518. Matsuzaki
519. Mayeda
520. Mihara
521. Mikami
522. Miki
523. Minami
524. Minamoto
525. Mino
526. Mita
527. Miya
528. Miyagawa
529. Miyahara
530. Miyahira
531. Miyake
532. Miyasaki
533. Miyasato
534. Miyashiro
535. Miyashita
536. Miyata
537. Miyoshi
538. Mizuno
539. Mochizuki
540. Morikawa
541. Morimoto
542. Morine
543. Morino
544. Morioka
545. Morishige
546. Morishita
547. Moriyama
548. Mukai
549. Mura
550. Murai

More Japanese Last Names

551. Muramoto
552. Muranaka
553. Murano
554. Muraoka
555. Murayama
556. Muto
557. Nagai
558. Nagamine
559. Nagano
560. Nagao
561. Naito
562. Nakahara
563. Nakai
564. Nakama
565. Nakamoto
566. Nakanishi
567. Nakao
568. Nakashima
569. Nakasone
570. Nakata
571. Nakatani
572. Nakatomi
573. Nakazawa
574. Namba
575. Nii
576. Nishi
577. Nishida
578. Nishihara
579. Nishimoto
580. Nishioka
581. Nishiyama
582. Nitta
583. Niwa
584. No
585. Noda
586. Nonaka
587. Noya
588. Obara
589. Obi
590. Oda
591. Oe
592. Ogasawara
593. Ogino
594. Ogura
595. Oh
596. Ohashi
597. Ohta
598. Oishi
599. Oka
600. Okabe
601. Okamura
602. Okane
603. Okano
604. Okawa
605. Oki
606. Okimoto
607. Okino
608. Okita
609. Okubo
610. Okuda
611. Okuma
612. Okumura
613. Okura
614. Omura
615. Onaga
616. Orio
617. Osada
618. Osaki
619. Ose
620. Oshita
621. Ouchi
622. Oye
623. Ozaki
624. Ozawa
625. Sada
626. Sadow
627. Saeki
628. Saiki
629. Sakaguchi
630. Sakata
631. Sako
632. Sakuma
633. Sama
634. Sanda
635. Sando
636. Satow
637. Sawa
638. Sawada
639. Sawaya
640. Sazama
641. Seki
642. Sekiguchi
643. Seno
644. Seo
645. Sera
646. Seta
647. Seto
648. Shiba
649. Shibuya
650. Shimabukuro

More Japanese Last Names

651. Shimamoto
652. Shimoda
653. Shimomura
654. Shinohara
655. Shinsato
656. Shintani
657. Shirai
658. Shiraishi
659. Shiraki
660. Shiro
661. Shiroma
662. Shishido
663. Shoda
664. Shoji
665. Soda
666. Soga
667. Soma
668. Sonoda
669. Suda
670. Sugai
671. Sugihara
672. Sugita
673. Suko
674. Sumida
675. Sunada
676. Suto
677. Tabata
678. Tachibana
679. Tada
680. Tagawa
681. Taguchi
682. Tahara
683. Taira
684. Tajima
685. Takai
686. Takaki
687. Takamoto
688. Takano
689. Takara
690. Takashima
691. Takata
692. Takayama
693. Takei
694. Takemoto
695. Takenaka
696. Takeshita
697. Taketa
698. Tamaki
699. Tamanaha
700. Tamashiro
701. Tanabe
702. Tani
703. Tanigawa
704. Tanimoto
705. Tanji
706. Tano
707. Tao
708. Tashiro
709. Tengan
710. Terada
711. Teramoto
712. Teruya
713. Teshima
714. Tobe
715. Toda
716. Tokuda
717. Tokunaga
718. Toma
719. Tominaga
720. Tomita
721. Tone
722. Toyama
723. Toyoda
724. Tsuchida
725. Tsuchiya
726. Tsuda
727. Tsuji
728. Tsukamoto
729. Tsutsui
730. Tsutsumi
731. Uchiyama
732. Uehara
733. Uemura
734. Umeda
735. Umemoto
736. Uno
737. Usui
738. Uyeda
739. Uyehara
740. Uyemura
741. Uyeno
742. Yagi
743. Yamagata
744. Yamakawa
745. Yamamura
746. Yamanaka
747. Yamane
748. Yamaoka
749. Yamasaki
750. Yamashiro
751. Yamauchi
752. Yanagi
753. Yano
754. Yasuda
755. Yasui
756. Yasutake
757. Yokota
758. Yonamine
759. Yoneda
760. Yoshihara
761. Yoshimoto
762. Yoshimura
763. Yoshinaga
764. Yoshioka

Japanese Last Names

There is a big difference between Japanese surname and the naming structure used by most other cultures. In most cases, English speaking people put their first name in front and their last name at the end. For the Japanese this is the other way round. For example, instead of being John Smith, it would be Smith John or Hashimoto John. Other Asian countries function in a similar way. This may seem a bit strange at first, but I imagine they think the same about others. For them it is completely natural. Japanese Last Names are also important to note that Japanese people do not usually have middle names. The Japanese Royal Family also operates a little differently in this department. They usually bear predetermined names, as is customary.

Japanese Last Names, The history of a surname is important in Japanese culture. It can help or hinder depending on where you live and who you associate with. In that sense, it’s not too different from Western culture, but you might find that Japanese culture takes it a bit further. This can affect a person’s ability to pursue a career, be in good standing with the locals, or even impress a partner’s family.  Japanese Last Names are much more complicated than what most people are used to. This does not mean that a person cannot overcome obstacles just because of his name. They are not cemented in the judgment of others for the rest of their lives. That may have been true in the distant past, but it is not currently the case.

Japanese Last Names, Looking for names is an enjoyable hobby for some and a career for others. Whatever you subscribe to, learning about Japanese surname should be in your calendar. Their culture is very influential and their reach extends all over the world. It’s not such a terrible idea to find out more about them and their names. It can help you understand them better.

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Thanks for reading about 215 Japanese Last Names – Family or Surnames With Meaning