Explore the Family Name Hironaka

The meaning of Hironaka

Japanese: written 広中 or 弘中 ‘wide center’. It is the name of a noble family of Suō (now part of Yamaguchi prefecture), as well as other families of Shimane and Hyōgo prefectures. Some characteristic forenames: Japanese Masami, Noboru, Aiko, Atsushi, Eiji, Hajime, Hatsuo, Hiroshi, Kenji, Kuni, Makoto, Masaaki.

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

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

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Hironaka experienced a dip in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the name was ranked 48,196, but by 2010 it had fallen to 52,619, representing a decline of 9.18%. Similarly, the number of individuals carrying the Hironaka surname decreased from 412 to 394 during the same period, equating to a drop of 4.37%. The proportion per 100k also saw a 13.33% decrease, moving from 0.15 in 2000 to 0.13 in 2010.

20002010Change
Rank#48,196#52,619-9.18%
Count412394-4.37%
Proportion per 100k0.150.13-13.33%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Hironaka

Analyzing the ethnicity distribution of the surname Hironaka, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows some significant changes over the decade. In 2000, an overwhelming 86.17% of those with the surname identified as having Asian/Pacific Islander ethnic identity. This percentage dropped by 12.81% to 75.13% in 2010. During this same time period, there was an impressive increase of 185.21% in individuals identifying with two or more races, jumping from 5.34% to 15.23%. The percentage of Hironakas identifying as White fell slightly from 6.80% to 6.35%, while those identifying as Hispanic saw an increase from 1.70% to 3.30%. There were no recorded changes for those identifying as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native.

20002010Change
Asian/Pacific Islander86.17%75.13%-12.81%
Two or More Races5.34%15.23%185.21%
White6.8%6.35%-6.62%
Hispanic1.7%3.3%94.12%
Black0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%