Japanese Surnames
Japanese names are used in Japan and in Japanese communities throughout the world. Note that depending on the Japanese characters used these names can have many other meanings besides those listed here. See also about Japanese names.
205 surnames in our directory
Japanese
205Tsunoda (角田) is a Japanese surname. It is composed of the elements tsuno (角) meaning "point, corner" or "antler" and ta (田) meaning "field, rice paddy", literally translating to "antler field". The name likely origin...
EtymologyUchimura is a Japanese surname composed of two kanji: uchi (内) meaning "inside" and mura (村) meaning "town" or "village." The name likely originated as a toponymic surname, referring to a family that lived in...
Uchiyama (written: 内山) is a Japanese surname composed of two elements: the prefix uchi (内) meaning "inside" or "inner", and yama (山) meaning "mountain" or "hill". The name thus can be interpreted as "inner mountain"...
Ueda is a Japanese surname derived from the kanji 上 (ue) meaning "above, top, upper" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy." Thus, the name originally referred to someone dwelling in an upper field or high-altitude pad...
Uehara is a Japanese surname that can be written with different kanji combinations, most commonly as 上原 (ue meaning "above, top, upper" and hara meaning "field, plain") literally translating to "upper plain." Another c...
Ueno (上野; [ɯ.e.no]) is a Japanese surname derived from the same characters as the well-known Ueno district in Tokyo. The name combines the ue (上) character, meaning "above," "top," or "upper," with no (野), which sign...
Uesugi (kanji: 上杉) is a Japanese surname derived from the elements ue (上) meaning "above, top, upper" and sugi (杉) meaning "cedar." The name thus signifies a location associated with upper or higher cedar trees, a co...
Urano is a Japanese surname that typically combines two kanji characters: the first, ura (浦), meaning "bay, inlet," and the second, no (野), meaning "field, wilderness." This placename-based surname indicates a location...
Wada is a Japanese surname with deep roots in the country's landscape and aesthetic values. It is composed of two wa (和) meaning "harmony, peace" and ta (田) meaning "field, rice paddy." The name thus evokes a peaceful...
Watanabe (渡辺 in Japanese) is a Japanese surname deeply rooted in the history of feudal Japan. Its composition comes from the elements wata (渡), meaning “cross” or “ferry,” and nabe (辺), meaning “area” or “place.” Tog...
Etymology Yamada (山田) is one of the most common Japanese surnames, ranked as the 12th most common in Japan. Its meaning is straightforwardly toponymic: it combines the elements yama (山) meaning "mountain" and ta (田)...
Yamagishi (written: 山岸) is a Japanese surname. It is composed of two kanji elements: 山 (yama) meaning "mountain," and 岸 (kishi) meaning "beach, shore, or bank." Together, the name suggests a geographical feature such...
Yamaguchi is a Japanese surname derived from the elements yama (山, meaning “mountain”) and kuchi (口, meaning “mouth, entrance”), thus literally meaning “mountain mouth.” This refers to a mountain pass or the entrance t...
Yamamoto (山本) is a common Japanese surname, ranked as the 9th most common in Japan. It is written with the characters yama (山) meaning "mountain" and moto (本) meaning "base, root, origin", translating literally to "b...
Etymology and OriginYamasaki is a variant of the Japanese surname Yamazaki. Both names share the same kanji components: 山 (yama) meaning "mountain" and 崎 (saki) meaning "cape" or "peninsula" — collectively translating...
Yamashita (山下) is a common Japanese surname, ranked as the 29th most frequent surname in Japan. It is composed of the characters yama (山) meaning "mountain" and shita (下) meaning "under, below," thus literally transl...
Yamauchi is a Japanese surname with a literal meaning rooted in geography. It combines the kanji characters yama (山, "mountain") and uchi (内, "inside"), thus conveying the sense of "inside the mountains." The name can...
Yamazaki (written: 山崎, 山﨑, or 山咲) is a Japanese surname meaning "mountain promontory" — from Japanese yama (山, "mountain") and saki (崎, "cape, peninsula"). It is the 22nd most common surname in Japan.Etymology an...
Etymology and Origin Yasuda is a Japanese surname composed of two kanji elements. The first element, yasu, can be written as 安 meaning "peace, quiet" or 保 meaning "protect, maintain", while the second element, ta (田),...
Etymology and OriginYokota is a Japanese surname derived from the elements yoko (横), meaning “beside, next to,” and ta (田), meaning “field, rice paddy.” The name likely originated as a topographic or locational surname...
Yoshida (吉田) is the 11th most common Japanese surname, ranking among the top family names in Japan. The name is composed of two elements: yoshi (吉) meaning "good luck" or "good fortune," and ta (田) meaning "field" or...
Etymology and Meaning Yoshinaga is a Japanese surname and masculine given name formed from kanji characters. A common reading pairs 吉 (yoshi) meaning "good luck" with 永 (naga) meaning "perpetual, eternal." However, num...
Yoshino is a Japanese surname that originates from the combination of two yoshi meaning "good luck" and no meaning "field, wilderness". The name is associated with the famous Yoshino region in Nara Prefecture, renowned f...
Yoshioka is a Japanese surname composed of two kanji: yoshi (吉), meaning "good luck" or "fortune", and oka (岡), meaning "hill" or "ridge". This topographic surname likely originated from a place name describing a lucky...
Yukimura is a Japanese surname (as well as a masculine given name) composed of two kanji elements. The most common character combination, 雪村, pairs yuki meaning "snow" with mura meaning "town, village," giving the lite...