Explore the Family Name Niwa
The meaning of Niwa
Japanese: variously written, sometimes with characters used phonetically, the most probable meanings are 二羽 ‘two wings’ or 庭 ‘garden’. Two noble families, one descended from the Minamoto and the other from the Fujiwara, both originated in Owari (now part of Aichi prefecture). The name is not common in Japan and is found mostly along the southeastern seaboard. Some characteristic forenames: Japanese Yuko, Hiromi, Junichiro, Rie, Akio, Atsuhiko, Hiroo, Hiroshi, Hisao, Kensuke, Kiyohiko, Kunihiko.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Niwa in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Niwa decreased from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 63,632nd and had a count of 293 occurrences. However, by 2010, its rank had fallen to 76,029 with only 253 occurrences. This represents a drop in popularity of approximately 19.48% and 13.65% in rank and count respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #63,632 | #76,029 | -19.48% |
| Count | 293 | 253 | -13.65% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.11 | 0.09 | -18.18% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Niwa
In terms of ethnicity, the individuals carrying the Niwa surname exhibited some changes between 2000 and 2010. According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the majority identified as being of Asian/Pacific Islander ethnicity, but this decreased from 72.01% in 2000 to 59.29% in 2010. The proportion identifying as two or more races increased from 3.41% to 6.32% within the same period. People identifying as White also saw an increase from 23.21% to 28.85%. There were no Niwa bearers that identified as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in both years. Interestingly, there was an emergence of Hispanic identity among Niwa carriers in 2010, which was not present in the 2000 data.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 72.01% | 59.29% | -17.66% |
| White | 23.21% | 28.85% | 24.3% |
| Two or More Races | 3.41% | 6.32% | 85.34% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 4.74% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |