Japanese Surnames

Japanese Ancestors - Tracing Japanese ancestry can be difficult. The most overwhelming barrier can be the distance and inability to travel back to Japan for research, but useful resources are available.

More on Japanese Relocation

The Growth of European and Japanese Dominions Beginning in 1801

Growth of European and Japanese Dominions in Asia Since 1801

Related Books

Japanese Names : A Comprehensive Index by Characters
You cannot expect every Japanese name you've ever heard is in this book. Most names would have at least 2 Kanji representations, so it is difficult and unrealistic to include all representations. If you have a English spelling of a Japanese name, you can find the corresponding Kanji representations without much trouble most of the time.

Circles of the East : Quilt Designs from Ancient Japanese Family Crests
As a highly skilled fiber artist raised and trained in Japan but residing in the United States for the past decade and a half, Kumiko Sudo brings an interesting combination of Eastern and Western sensibilities to her work. She draws on the ancient Japanese motif of the kamon, or family crest, utilizing these varied designs as the basis for a collection of one-of-a-kind quilts.

Japan's Name Culture
The Significance of Names in a Religious, Political and Social Context

Japanese, Chinese and Korean Surnames
How to Read them from Characters of Readings

Common Japanese Last Names

  • Sato
  • Takahashi
  • Suzuki
  • Ito
  • Narita

  • Watanabe
  • Saito
  • Kobayashi
  • Yoshida
  • Tanaka

  • Yamada
  • Shimizu
  • Nakamura
  • Hayashi
  • Yamamoto

    Web Sites

    Common Japanese Surnames
    Chart outlines the most common family names for various Japanese prefectures.

    Japanese Names
    Japanese Names surnames male first names female first names website directory e-mail

    Japanese Names and Armory
    Japanese Names and How to Read Them. Includes an informative introduction, although much of the information is post-period.
     

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