EtymologySerizawa is a Japanese surname written with the characters 芹沢 or 芹澤. The first character seri means "celery," and the second sawa (沢 or 澤) means "marsh." The name likely originated as a topographic surname for someone living near a marsh where celery grew.Notable BearersThe surname Serizawa has several notable historical and contemporary figures in Japanese history. Among the most famous is Serizawa Kamo (1826–1863), a samurai and commander of the Shinsengumi, the feared pro-shogunate police force in Kyoto during the late Edo period. Despite his high rank, he was later assassinated due to his violent behavior.In the arts, Keisuke Serizawa (1895–1984) was a renowned textile designer and a designated Living National Treasure of Japan, known for his katazome (stencil-dye) works. In music, Hiroaki Serizawa (born 1948) is a singer-songwriter, while Yū Serizawa (born 1994) is a singer and voice actress. Others include fencer Ichiro Serizawa, golfer Nobuo Serizawa, and artist Naoki Serizawa.In Popular CultureThe name is well-known through fictional characters. In the film series Godzilla, Dr. Daisuke Serizawa (1954) is the scientist who sacrifices himself to defeat the monster. The character was reimagined as Ishiro Serizawa in the Monsterverse films (2014, 2019). In anime and manga, examples include Reira Serizawa from Nana and Katsuya Serizawa from Mob Psycho 100.DistributionSerizawa is an uncommon surname even in Japan, predominantly found in the Kantō and Tōhoku regions.Meaning: Celery marsh (芹沢 / 芹澤)Origin: JapaneseType: SurnameUsage regions: Japan