Explore the Family Name Sawa
The meaning of Sawa
1. Japanese: written 沢 or 澤 ‘swamp’, sometimes phonetically 佐波. A few bearers have samurai connections. The name is not very common in Japan, but is a very common element in many other names, so some instances in America could have been shortened from names either beginning or ending with -sawa. 2. Polish and Rusyn (from Poland): from the personal name Sawa, Late Greek Sabbas (see Savas). 3. Assyrian/Chaldean: from the personal name Sāwā, a cognate of Greek (Aramaic) Savas. Some characteristic forenames: Japanese Koji, Ayako, Fumio, Hitoshi, Iwao, Joji, Kazuto, Kiyo, Masato, Noriko, Shintaro, Shozo. Polish Halina, Stanislawa, Wojtek.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Sawa in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Sawa saw an increase from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, the name ranked 36,232 in terms of prevalence, while in 2010 it climbed to a rank of 32,079, marking a significant growth by 11.46 percent. The number of individuals carrying this surname also rose from 584 to 719 during this decade, an uptick of 23.12 percent. Consequently, the proportion of people with the surname Sawa per 100,000 increased by 9.09 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #36,232 | #32,079 | 11.46% |
| Count | 584 | 719 | 23.12% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.22 | 0.24 | 9.09% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Sawa
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some changes between 2000 and 2010 for individuals bearing the surname Sawa. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander decreased by 16.72 percent, while those reporting two or more races declined dramatically by 49.55 percent. On the other hand, those identifying as White increased by 10.56 percent. Additionally, those claiming Hispanic ethnicity saw a notable rise of 28.31 percent. During both census years, there were no recorded instances of individuals with the surname Sawa identifying as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 65.41% | 72.32% | 10.56% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 20.21% | 16.83% | -16.72% |
| Two or More Races | 9.93% | 5.01% | -49.55% |
| Hispanic | 3.25% | 4.17% | 28.31% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |