Explore the Family Name Azuma

The meaning of Azuma

Japanese: from an archaic word used to mean ‘east’, originally applied to the fifteen northern and eastern provinces of Japan. The name is most commonly written with the character for ‘east’ 東 (higashi), but some families write it 吾妻, which literally means ‘my wife’. The pronunciation Azuma is found mostly in western Japan and the Ryūkyū Islands, while the name Higashi is more common along the southeastern seaboard. History: According to legend, the hero Prince Yamatotakeru, on his mission to conquer the eastern barbarians, was badly homesick and cried ‘Azuma wa ya!’ (‘Oh, my wife!’) when he viewed the Kantō Plain from a high pass, and this incident gave the name to the region. Some characteristic forenames: Japanese Akira, Hiroko, Shoji, Yoichi, Chieko, Chika, Eiko, Fumiko, Hideaki, Kenji, Koichi, Kyoichi.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.