Explore the Family Name Sasaki
The meaning of Sasaki
Japanese: written phonetically 佐々木. The name, perhaps derived from the word misosazai ‘wren’, originated in Ōmi (now Shiga prefecture) and is found mostly in northeastern Japan. Alternatively, it may derive from misasagi, the term for the great tomb mounds dating from about 250–710, which are found in clusters all over Japan. History: One of the great names in Japanese history, its first bearer was Hideyoshi (1112–84), a warrior descended from the Uda-Genji but adopted by the Seiwa Genji. Up to his death in battle, he aided his nephew Minamoto no Yoritomo in his struggle against the Taira clan. Some characteristic forenames: Japanese Akira, Takashi, Shigeru, Takeshi, Hiroshi, Hitoshi, Yasuo, Hiroyuki, Kiyoshi, Masayuki, Shoji.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Sasaki in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Sasaki held the rank of 9,488 in terms of popularity in 2000 and then slightly dipped to a rank of 10,046 in 2010, reflecting a decrease of 5.88%. Despite this dip in ranking, the number of individuals with the Sasaki surname increased from 3,142 in 2000 to 3,206 in 2010, marking a growth of 2.04%. However, when considering the proportion per 100,000 people, there was a minor decrease of 6.03% over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,488 | #10,046 | -5.88% |
| Count | 3,142 | 3,206 | 2.04% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.16 | 1.09 | -6.03% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Sasaki
When examining the ethnicity data from the Decennial U.S. Census, it appears that the majority of individuals with the Sasaki surname identify as Asian/Pacific Islander, though this demographic did see a decline of 5.45% from 2000 to 2010. Meanwhile, those identifying as having two or more races showed a significant increase of 33.55% during the same period, while the proportion identifying as white saw a growth of 19.57%. The Hispanic representation also grew by 40.45%, even though it remained a smaller portion of the overall ethnic identity associated with the Sasaki surname. The percentages for Black, American Indian and Alaskan Native remained at zero for both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 83.8% | 79.23% | -5.45% |
| Two or More Races | 7.54% | 10.07% | 33.55% |
| White | 6.08% | 7.27% | 19.57% |
| Hispanic | 2.2% | 3.09% | 40.45% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Sasaki ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Sasaki is Japanese, which comprises 74.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (5.9%) and British & Irish (5.1%). Additional ancestries include Spanish & Portuguese, Indigenous American, Filipino & Austronesian, Italian, and Chinese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Japanese | 74.1% |
| French & German | 5.9% |
| British & Irish | 5.1% |
| Other | 14.9% |
Possible origins of the surname Sasaki
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Sasaki have recent ancestry locations in Japan and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan | 74.50% |
| Okinawa Prefecture, Japan | 64.20% |
| Tokyo, Japan | 51.90% |
| Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan | 32.10% |
| Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan | 28.30% |
What Sasaki haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Sasaki is C-CTS6678, which is predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Haplogroup C-CTS6678 is descended from haplogroup C-M8. Other common haplogroups include D-CTS220 and O-CTS713, which are predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American and East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Yamada, Tanaka, Matsumoto, Lee, Choi, Kim, Park, Durso, Durrett, O'Halloran.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Sasaki surname are: M, H, D4. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins C-M8Your maternal lineage may be linked to the Han
Members of haplogroup D are found in both northern and southern Han Chinese populations at low to moderate frequencies. The Han people, who all share the same language and similar cultural practices, are the largest ethnic group in the world, with about 1.2 billion people. Historical evidence shows that Han people are descendants of the ancient Huaxia tribes that come from northern China, and Han language and culture only expanded into southern China in the last 2,000 years. The spread of Han people and culture from northern to southern China was likely driven by warfare and famine in the north.
What do people with the surname Sasaki have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Sasaki" Surname 35.5%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Sasaki" Surname 29.2%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Sasaki" Surname 14.6%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Sasaki" Surname 13.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Sasaki?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Sasaki are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition