Explore the Family Name Tanabe
The meaning of Tanabe
Japanese: written 田辺 ‘side of the rice paddy’. It is found mostly in western Japan. The ancient pronunciation was 田部 Tanobe and meant ‘rice paddy guild’, denoting a group charged with care of the emperor’s fields. Listed in the Shinsen shōjiroku. History: The ancient Tanabe of Kawachi (now part of Nara prefecture) claimed descent from emperors of the Chinese Han dynasty (206 BC–ad 220). Some characteristic forenames: Japanese Kaori, Yasuhiro, Yoshio, Hiroko, Hiroyuki, Jiro, Junji, Keiichi, Masao, Takeshi, Toru, Toshiaki.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Tanabe in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Tanabe saw a minor decrease in rank from 21381 in 2000 to 22319 in 2010, a change of -4.39%. However, the count of individuals with this surname slightly increased from 1141 to 1155 during the same period, an increase of 1.23%. The proportion of the population with this surname per 100,000 also decreased by about 7.14%, from 0.42 to 0.39 over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #21,381 | #22,319 | -4.39% |
| Count | 1,141 | 1,155 | 1.23% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.42 | 0.39 | -7.14% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Tanabe
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the majority of individuals with the Tanabe surname identified as Asian/Pacific Islander in both 2000 and 2010. However, there was a decrease in this group from 76.60% to 72.21% over the decade. There were notable increases in those identifying as being of two or more races and Hispanic, at 24.24% and 27.54% respectively. The percentage of individuals identifying as White also saw a modest increase from 8.24% to 8.92%. No individuals with the Tanabe surname identified as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 76.6% | 72.21% | -5.73% |
| Two or More Races | 9.2% | 11.43% | 24.24% |
| White | 8.24% | 8.92% | 8.25% |
| Hispanic | 5.7% | 7.27% | 27.54% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |