Explore the Family Name Hirakawa
The meaning of Hirakawa
Japanese: written 平川 ‘level (or peaceful) river’. It is found in the Ryūkyū Islands and Ōmi (now Shiga prefecture).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Hirakawa in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Hirakawa has seen a slight decline in rank from 2000 to 2010, moving from position 64,186 to 64,721, indicating a change rate of -0.83. However, the actual count of individuals with this surname has increased by 5.86% during the same period, rising from 290 to 307 in number. Despite this growth in count, the proportion per 100,000 people has decreased by 9.09%, from 0.11 to 0.10.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #64,186 | #64,721 | -0.83% |
| Count | 290 | 307 | 5.86% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.11 | 0.1 | -9.09% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Hirakawa
Regarding ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that most individuals with the Hirakawa surname identify as Asian/Pacific Islander, though this percentage decreased slightly from 83.10% in 2000 to 78.50% in 2010. The second largest ethnicity group is those who identify with two or more races, which saw an increase of 32.25% between the two censuses. The percentage of individuals identifying as White also experienced a small decrease from 5.86% to 5.54%. Interestingly, there was significant growth in the Hispanic group, with a 75.52% increase, despite remaining the minority group. No individuals identified as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either census year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 83.1% | 78.5% | -5.54% |
| Two or More Races | 8.62% | 11.4% | 32.25% |
| White | 5.86% | 5.54% | -5.46% |
| Hispanic | 2.41% | 4.23% | 75.52% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |