Explore the Family Name Nishikawa
The meaning of Nishikawa
Japanese: written 西川 ‘western river’. It is mainly found in western Japan and the Ryūkyū Islands. A less common alternative reading Saikawa is from eastern Japan. A few bearers are of samurai origin. Some characteristic forenames: Japanese Keizo, Hiroshi, Kazuo, Koji, Masao, Takashi, Akihiro, Hiro, Kenji, Kimiko, Kiyo, Kiyoshi.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Nishikawa in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Nishikawa has seen a slight increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, its rank was 25,991, while by 2010 it had moved up to 25,902, representing a 0.34% change. The number of individuals bearing this surname also increased during this period, from 887 in 2000 to 949 in 2010, a growth of approximately 7%. However, when looking at the proportion per 100,000 people, there's a minor decrease of 3.03%, indicating that while the name has grown in absolute numbers, its prevalence relative to other surnames has dropped slightly.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #25,991 | #25,902 | 0.34% |
| Count | 887 | 949 | 6.99% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.33 | 0.32 | -3.03% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Nishikawa
Observing the ethnicity distribution according to the Decennial U.S. Census, the most common ethnic identity associated with the surname Nishikawa is Asian/Pacific Islander. This group represented 84.55% in 2000, but decreased to 79.24% in 2010, a drop of 6.28%. The second-highest category is those identifying with two or more races, which experienced an increase from 7.67% in 2000 to 10.85% in 2010, a notable rise of 41.46%. Those identifying as White have slightly increased from 5.19% to 5.58% during this time. The Hispanic group also saw substantial growth, increasing from 2.25% to 3.79%, which represents a jump of 68.44%. There were no changes for those identifying as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 84.55% | 79.24% | -6.28% |
| Two or More Races | 7.67% | 10.85% | 41.46% |
| White | 5.19% | 5.58% | 7.51% |
| Hispanic | 2.25% | 3.79% | 68.44% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |