Explore the Family Name Mitsui
The meaning of Mitsui
Japanese: found throughout Japan and most commonly written 三井 ‘three wells’, but there are about a dozen less common, local variations, some written phonetically.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Mitsui in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Mitsui has seen a slight increase in popularity over a decade. In 2000, Mitsui was ranked as the 70,473rd most common surname in the United States, with an estimated 259 individuals bearing this name. By 2010, the rank had improved to 68,949 with an increased count of approximately 285 individuals. This represents a growth rate of 2.16% in rank and a 10.04% increase in the total number of people with the Mitsui surname over a ten-year period. Despite this rise in popularity, the proportion of the Mitsui surname per 100k population remained stable at 0.1.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #70,473 | #68,949 | 2.16% |
| Count | 259 | 285 | 10.04% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Mitsui
The Decennial U.S. Census data also provides insight into the ethnic identity associated with the Mitsui surname. The majority of individuals with this surname identified as Asian/Pacific Islander in both 2000 and 2010—75.29% and 74.74% respectively, showing a minor decrease of 0.73%. The second largest group identified as having two or more ethnicities, slightly increasing from 10.81% in 2000 to 10.88% in 2010. There was a notable decline in those identifying as white, from 10.04% to 8.07%, a drop of 19.62%. Meanwhile, the proportion of individuals identifying as Hispanic saw a significant increase of 61.67%, though it still makes up a small overall percentage (5.61% in 2010). No individuals identified as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 75.29% | 74.74% | -0.73% |
| Two or More Races | 10.81% | 10.88% | 0.65% |
| White | 10.04% | 8.07% | -19.62% |
| Hispanic | 3.47% | 5.61% | 61.67% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |