Explore the Family Name Ishikawa
The meaning of Ishikawa
Japanese: written 石川 ‘rock river’. It is found mostly in eastern Japan and the Ryūkyū Islands. Listed in the Shinsen shōjiroku. One family, descended from Minamoto no Yoshitoki (11th–12th centuries), settled in Kawachi (now part of Ōsaka prefecture) and took the placename Ishikawa as their surname. Some characteristic forenames: Japanese Hiroshi, Akira, Eiji, Hiroyasu, Hitoshi, Kiyoshi, Shigeru, Takashi, Tetsuya, Yoshihiro, Yuji, Hajime.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ishikawa in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Ishikawa has seen a slight decrease between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Ishikawa was the 15,676th most popular surname, but by 2010 it dropped to the 16,833rd spot, representing a decrease of 7.38%. The number of people bearing this name also decreased slightly from 1,711 in 2000 to 1,696 in 2010, a drop of 0.88%. Similarly, the proportion of people with this surname per 100,000 individuals fell by 9.52% over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #15,676 | #16,833 | -7.38% |
| Count | 1,711 | 1,696 | -0.88% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.63 | 0.57 | -9.52% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ishikawa
The Decennial U.S. Census data also reveals interesting shifts in the ethnic identity associated with the surname Ishikawa. During the decade from 2000 to 2010, those identifying as Asian or Pacific Islander decreased from 84.86% to 80.31%, a change of -5.36%. Meanwhile, those identifying with two or more races increased by 22.39%, going from 7.95% in 2000 to 9.73% in 2010. The percentage of individuals with the surname Ishikawa who identified as white also rose significantly from 5.08% to 7.02%, an increase of 38.19%. Lastly, those identifying as Hispanic saw the largest percentage increase, up by 57.93% from 1.64% in 2000 to 2.59% in 2010. The surname did not have any representation from Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native communities in either census year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 84.86% | 80.31% | -5.36% |
| Two or More Races | 7.95% | 9.73% | 22.39% |
| White | 5.08% | 7.02% | 38.19% |
| Hispanic | 1.64% | 2.59% | 57.93% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |