Explore the Family Name Wada
The meaning of Wada
1. Japanese: written 和田 ‘harmonious rice paddy’. An older, formerly more common reading was Nigita, with a meaning similar to that of Yoshida. One powerful family of daimyō (feudal lords), descended from the Taira through the Miura family, took their name from the village of Wada in the Miura Peninsula. 2. West African (Nigeria and Niger): from a Hausa and Fulani male personal name, from Hausa wada ‘wealth’. Some characteristic forenames: Japanese Yutaka, Akira, Hiroyuki, Koichi, Yoko, Hiroko, Junichi, Kazuo, Mamoru, Masaki, Osamu, Akiko.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Wada in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Wada experienced a decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 15,110th most common surname, but by 2010 it had dropped to 16,716th place, indicating a change of -10.63%. The total count of individuals bearing the surname also decreased from 1,791 in 2000 to 1,712 in 2010, which marked a decline of -4.41%. The proportion of people with this surname per 100,000 also experienced a drop, as it went from 0.66 in 2000 to 0.58 in 2010, showing a decrease of -12.12%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #15,110 | #16,716 | -10.63% |
| Count | 1,791 | 1,712 | -4.41% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.66 | 0.58 | -12.12% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Wada
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that the majority of individuals with the Wada surname identify as Asian/Pacific Islander, though this demographic saw a slight decrease from 78.28% in 2000 to 74.07% in 2010. The second largest ethnic identity group is White, holding steady at around 10.83% in 2000 and changing slightly to 10.63% in 2010. Interestingly, there was a significant increase in those identifying as having two or more races, rising from 5.86% in 2000 to 8.18% in 2010. There was also a noticeable increase within the Black community, from 2.62% to 3.86% over the decade. Unfortunately, data for Hispanic and American Indian and Alaskan Native identities were suppressed for privacy reasons in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 78.28% | 74.07% | -5.38% |
| White | 10.83% | 10.63% | -1.85% |
| Two or More Races | 5.86% | 8.18% | 39.59% |
| Black | 2.62% | 3.86% | 47.33% |
| Hispanic | 2.4% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |