Explore the Family Name Hirabayashi

The meaning of Hirabayashi

Japanese: written 平林 ‘peaceful forest’. It is found mostly in central Japan. The same characters are also pronounced Tairabayashi by some families, perhaps denoting connections to the ancient Taira clan, or maybe simply meaning a level forest as opposed to a hilly one. Some characteristic forenames: Japanese Shinichi, Ayano, Hisashi, Kanae, Kazuko, Kazuo, Kyo, Makoto, Manabu, Miyako, Osamu, Ryuichi.

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

How common is the last name Hirabayashi in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Hirabayashi saw a decline in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 62,775th and fell to the rank of 69,392nd in 2010 which signifies a decrease of 10.54%. The count of individuals with this surname also experienced a slight decrease from 298 in 2000 to 283 in 2010, marking a diminution of 5.03%. Moreover, the proportion per 100,000 people dropped by 9.09% from 0.11 to 0.1 within the same period.

20002010Change
Rank#62,775#69,392-10.54%
Count298283-5.03%
Proportion per 100k0.110.1-9.09%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Hirabayashi

As for the ethnic identity associated with the surname, data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals that most individuals with the Hirabayashi surname identify as Asian/Pacific Islander, though this percentage decreased from 80.54% in 2000 to 75.97% in 2010. There were significant changes noted in those who identified with two or more races, increasing substantially by 64.24% from 8.39% in 2000 to 13.78% in 2010. The percentage of White individuals with this surname experienced a marginal increase of 1.26%, whereas the Hispanic representation dropped to zero in 2010. No individuals with the Hirabayashi surname identified as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either census years.

20002010Change
Asian/Pacific Islander80.54%75.97%-5.67%
Two or More Races8.39%13.78%64.24%
White8.72%8.83%1.26%
Hispanic2.35%0%0%
Black0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%