Explore the Family Name Morita
The meaning of Morita
Japanese: written 森田 ‘rice paddy near the forest’. This is a common placename, sometimes written 守田 ‘protecting rice paddy’ or 盛田 ‘abundant rice paddy’. The surname is mainly found in western Japan and the Ryūkyū Islands. Some characteristic forenames: Japanese Takeshi, Akio, Satoshi, Aki, Kazuo, Koichi, Masao, Shigeru, Tomoyo, Toshio, Hiroko, Hiroshi.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Morita in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Morita has seen a slight decline over the years 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it ranked as the 14,127th most popular surname, but by 2010, it fell to the 14,902nd spot, representing a 5.49% decrease. Despite this drop in ranking, the actual count of individuals with the surname increased modestly from 1,954 to 1,986, a rise of 1.64%. However, when considered as a proportion per 100,000 people, the presence of this surname dipped by 6.94%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #14,127 | #14,902 | -5.49% |
| Count | 1,954 | 1,986 | 1.64% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.72 | 0.67 | -6.94% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Morita
With regard to ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census indicates that the majority of those bearing the Morita surname identify as Asian/Pacific Islander, though this percentage declined from 79.48% in 2000 to 72.96% in 2010. Meanwhile, the representation of other ethnic identities within this surname group saw increases over the same time period. The proportion identifying as having two or more races rose significantly by 37.95%, while those identifying as White and Hispanic experienced increases of 19.79% and 35.62%, respectively. The percentages for Black, American Indian, and Alaskan Native remained constant at 0%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 79.48% | 72.96% | -8.2% |
| Two or More Races | 7.01% | 9.67% | 37.95% |
| White | 7.78% | 9.32% | 19.79% |
| Hispanic | 5.53% | 7.5% | 35.62% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |