Explore the Family Name Kobayashi
The meaning of Kobayashi
Japanese: written 小林 ‘small forest’. It is one of the ten most common Japanese surnames, found especially in central Japan; the different families bearing this name are not all related. The name is also found in the Ryūkyū Islands. Some characteristic forenames: Japanese Takashi, Hiroshi, Toshio, Akira, Hisako, Hitoshi, Makoto, Hideaki, Hideo, Hisashi, Kazuo, Nobuo.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Kobayashi in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Kobayashi has seen a slight decline between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the surname ranked 8097 in popularity, but by 2010 it had dropped to 8568, marking a decrease of 5.82%. The count of people with this surname, however, saw a modest increase from 3772 in 2000 to 3845 in 2010, an upswing of 1.94%. The proportion per 100,000 people with the surname Kobayashi fell by 7.14% during the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #8,097 | #8,568 | -5.82% |
| Count | 3,772 | 3,845 | 1.94% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.4 | 1.3 | -7.14% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Kobayashi
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that the majority of individuals with the Kobayashi surname identify as Asian/Pacific Islander. In 2000, this group represented 85.79% of all Kobayashis, though it dropped to 81.01% by 2010, a decrease of 5.57%. A significant rise is observed in those identifying as two or more races, which jumped from 6.63% in 2000 to 9.15% in 2010, a substantial change of 38.01%. The percentage of Kobayashis identifying as White increased slightly, going from 5.70% to 5.77%. The most considerable shift was within the Hispanic population, which spiked from 1.75% to 3.85%, marking an impressive 120% increase. There were no individuals with the Kobayashi surname who identified as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either census year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 85.79% | 81.01% | -5.57% |
| Two or More Races | 6.63% | 9.15% | 38.01% |
| White | 5.7% | 5.77% | 1.23% |
| Hispanic | 1.75% | 3.85% | 120% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Kobayashi ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Kobayashi is Japanese, which comprises 76.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (5.1%) and Spanish & Portuguese (3.4%). Additional ancestries include French & German, Chinese, Filipino & Austronesian, Indigenous American, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Japanese | 76.7% |
| British & Irish | 5.1% |
| Spanish & Portuguese | 3.4% |
| Other | 14.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Kobayashi
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Kobayashi have recent ancestry locations in Japan and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan | 65.80% |
| Okinawa Prefecture, Japan | 61.40% |
| Tokyo, Japan | 57.00% |
| Fukushima Prefecture, Japan | 28.10% |
| Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan | 23.70% |
What Kobayashi haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Kobayashi is C-M130, which is predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Haplogroup C-M130 is descended from haplogroup C-M130. Other common haplogroups include O-CTS713 and O-F11, which are predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American and East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Kimura, Yoshida, Sato, Suzuki, Tanaka, Takahashi, Noon, Edmond, Novoa, Edmonson.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Kobayashi surname are: M, M7a1a, D4. These most commonly trace back to individuals of East Asian & Indigenous American and European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins C-M130
Your paternal lineage may be linked to some of Australia's first inhabitants
Archaeological and genetic evidence suggest that, after leaving Africa, the earliest members of haplogroup C rapidly migrated to Southeast Asia and Oceania along the Indian coastline about 50,000 years ago. The first inhabitants of Australia, who may have belonged to haplogroup C, arrived 47,000 years ago. In fact, about 44% of people of indigenous Australian descent belong to haplogroup C. After reaching Oceania, members of haplogroup C migrated northward, through central and east Asia, into Siberia, over the Bering Strait, and into the Americas.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to the ancient people of the Indian subcontinent
While Haplogroup M is widespread throughout South and East Asia, it is more diverse on the Indian sub-continent than anywhere else in the world. The high degree of diversity of M in India is likely tied to its ancient arrival here nearly 50,000 years ago. In addition to M2, which is found throughout the subcontinent, there are dozens of haplogroups branching off of M that exist in India. These branches are often connected to specific regions, tribes, or ethnic groups. For example, haplogroup M18 is found among the Oraon peoples of eastern India and Bangladesh, while haplogroup M41 is common among the Pardhan speakers of eastern India, and haplogroup M31a can be found on the Andaman Islands, just off the southeast coast of India.
What do people with the surname Kobayashi have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Kobayashi" Surname 40.4%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Kobayashi" Surname 33.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Kobayashi" Surname 16.3%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Kobayashi" Surname 14.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Kobayashi?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Kobayashi are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition