Explore the Family Name Akita
The meaning of Akita
Japanese: written 秋田 ‘autumn rice paddy’ or phonetically 安木田. It is found along the eastern seaboard of Japan. A family of daimyō (feudal lords) descended from the Abe family took the name from their residence in Akita castle in Ugo (now Akita prefecture). The phonetically written name, which is less common, hints that it could actually derive from the word kita, meaning ‘north’, because the province is in the far north.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Akita in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Akita has seen an increase over the decade from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, the surname was ranked at 68,569 with a count of 268 individuals, which equates to a proportion of 0.1 per 100,000 people. By 2010, the rank had improved to 66,164, representing a change of 3.51%. The total count of individuals carrying the surname also increased by 11.57% to a total of 299.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #68,569 | #66,164 | 3.51% |
| Count | 268 | 299 | 11.57% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Akita
The ethnicity distribution of the surname Akita has also shifted according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, the majority identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, accounting for 70.52%, but this decreased to 59.53% in 2010. The percentage of those identifying as two or more races saw significant growth, increasing from 13.43% in 2000 to 20.07% in 2010. While there was no change in the Hispanic and American Indian and Alaskan Native categories, the Black category experienced a substantial rise from 5.22% in 2000 to 9.36% in 2010. The White category decreased slightly from 8.58% to 7.36%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 70.52% | 59.53% | -15.58% |
| Two or More Races | 13.43% | 20.07% | 49.44% |
| Black | 5.22% | 9.36% | 79.31% |
| White | 8.58% | 7.36% | -14.22% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |