Explore the Family Name Nishi
The meaning of Nishi
Japanese: written 西 ‘west’. It is mainly found in the islands of Kyūshū, where two samurai families were based, and Okinawa. Some instances in America could be the result of shortening other Japanese names beginning with Nishi-. Some characteristic forenames: Japanese Tomohiko, Masao, Yoshio, Kazuo, Masahiko, Nobuo, Noriko, Akihiko, Akihiro, Akira, Akiyo, Etsuko.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Nishi in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Nishi has seen a slight dip from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, this surname ranked 31,301 and rose to 32,123 in 2010, indicating a -2.63% change. The count of individuals with this surname increased slightly from 700 in 2000 to 718 in 2010, marking a 2.57% growth. However, its proportion per 100,000 people decreased by -7.69%, from 0.26 to 0.24.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #31,301 | #32,123 | -2.63% |
| Count | 700 | 718 | 2.57% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.26 | 0.24 | -7.69% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Nishi
The ethnic identity associated with the Nishi surname has also experienced some changes over the decade as detailed in the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, the majority of those bearing the surname identified as Asian/Pacific Islander at 80.71%, but this reduced to 77.99% in 2010, showing a -3.37% change. Individuals identifying as two or more races saw a decrease from 9.00% to 8.64%. The percentage of people identifying as White grew from 7.57% to 8.64%, marking a 14.13% increase. Notably, there was a significant increase in those identifying as Hispanic, from 2.43% in 2000 to 4.18% in 2010, a jump of 72.02%. The percentages for Black ethnicity, and American Indian and Alaskan Native remained at zero for both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 80.71% | 77.99% | -3.37% |
| Two or More Races | 9% | 8.64% | -4% |
| White | 7.57% | 8.64% | 14.13% |
| Hispanic | 2.43% | 4.18% | 72.02% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |