Explore the Family Name Arakawa
The meaning of Arakawa
Japanese: written 荒川 ‘wild river’. It is a topographic name, probably referring to the Arakawa River, which drains the Kantō Plain into Tokyo Bay. There are other rivers of the same name. This surname is mainly found in eastern Japan. Some characteristic forenames: Japanese Hiroshi, Masahiro, Michiyo, Takeshi, Kasumi, Osamu, Teruko, Toyoko, Yasushi, Yoichi, Yoshiko, Akio.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Arakawa in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Arakawa saw a slight decrease in popularity ranking from 2000 to 2010, dropping from 23,863 to 24,608, a change of -3.12%. However, the actual count of individuals with this surname slightly increased over the same period from 988 to 1015, marking a 2.73% increase. The proportion of people with the Arakawa surname per 100,000 population also decreased by about 8.11%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #23,863 | #24,608 | -3.12% |
| Count | 988 | 1,015 | 2.73% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.37 | 0.34 | -8.11% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Arakawa
When discussing ethnic identity associated with the surname Arakawa, data from the Decennial U.S. Census indicates that the highest percentage of people with this surname identified as Asian/Pacific Islander in both 2000 and 2010. Despite a drop of 6.57%, this group still comprised 75.37% of the Arakawas in 2010. Notably, there was a substantial increase (30.74%) in individuals who identified as belonging to two or more races, making up 13.1% of the total in 2010. Similarly, the percentage identifying as White saw a rise of 31.18%, reaching 6.9% in 2010. The percentage identifying as Hispanic remained relatively stable, while those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native appeared in the 2010 data for the first time at 0.69%. No Arakawas identified as Black in either census year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 80.67% | 75.37% | -6.57% |
| Two or More Races | 10.02% | 13.1% | 30.74% |
| White | 5.26% | 6.9% | 31.18% |
| Hispanic | 3.95% | 3.94% | -0.25% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.69% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |