Explore the Family Name Imai
The meaning of Imai
Japanese: written 今居 ‘the present residence’, but also written with characters 今井 meaning ‘the present well’. Several families of Minamoto descent and one from the Sasaki line originated in villages of this name. The name is also found in the Ryūkyū Islands. Some characteristic forenames: Japanese Hiroyuki, Ayako, Hideki, Hiroshi, Keiko, Kiyoshi, Hiro, Hitoshi, Kenichi, Masao, Mieko, Mitsuo.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Imai in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Imai has seen a slight decrease between 2000 and 2010. The rank of this name fell from 21,638 in 2000 to 23,852 in 2010, which represents a change of -10.23%. Similarly, the count of people bearing this surname also dropped by 5.7% over this period, from 1,123 to 1,059. This change is reflected in the proportion of the surname per 100,000 people, which decreased from 0.42 to 0.36.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #21,638 | #23,852 | -10.23% |
| Count | 1,123 | 1,059 | -5.7% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.42 | 0.36 | -14.29% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Imai
In terms of ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows that the majority of those with the Imai surname identify as Asian/Pacific Islander, though this percentage decreased slightly from 76.76% in 2000 to 73.75% in 2010. In contrast, there was a significant increase in the number of Imais identifying as two or more races during this time, with the proportion rising by 32.84%. The percentage of those who identify as White saw a decrease of 15.59%, while there was a notable increase amongst those identifying as Hispanic, with the figure rising by 48.81%. No changes were recorded for those identifying as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 76.76% | 73.75% | -3.92% |
| Two or More Races | 8.1% | 10.76% | 32.84% |
| White | 9.62% | 8.12% | -15.59% |
| Hispanic | 4.63% | 6.89% | 48.81% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |