Explore the Family Name Yagi
The meaning of Yagi
Japanese: written 八木 ‘eight trees’ or 矢木 ‘arrow tree’. It is taken from a valley in Tajima (now part of Hyōgo prefecture) by a branch of the ancient Kusakabe family, which descended from Emperor Nintoku (early 5th century). The name is also found in the Ryūkyūan island of Amami, written 屋宜 with characters used phonetically. The name could also simply mean ‘goat’, or possibly be short for yanagi ‘willows’. Some characteristic forenames: Japanese Hajime, Seiichi, Akira, Hiroshi, Kenji, Kimie, Koichi, Masahiro, Minako, Morio, Aki, Asao.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Yagi in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Yagi has seen a decline over the decade from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Yagi was ranked 27,049th in terms of popularity across surnames in the U.S., but by 2010 it had dropped to 33,941st place, indicating a downward change of approximately 25.48 percent. The count of people with the surname Yagi has also decreased during this period, falling from 842 in 2000 to 670 in 2010, marking a reduction of about 20.43 percent. Furthermore, the proportion of individuals with the Yagi surname per 100,000 residents reduced from 0.31 to 0.23 over these years, further signifying its declining popularity.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #27,049 | #33,941 | -25.48% |
| Count | 842 | 670 | -20.43% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.31 | 0.23 | -25.81% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Yagi
The Decennial U.S. Census also provides insights into the changes in ethnic identity among individuals bearing the Yagi surname from 2000 to 2010. The data shows an increase in individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and those claiming two or more races, from 75.77 percent to 80.75 percent and 6.89 percent to 10.15 percent respectively. However, there was a significant decrease in those identifying as White, dropping from 12.95 percent in 2000 to just 4.93 percent in 2010. There was a slight increase in those reporting Hispanic ethnicity, going up from 2.85 percent to 3.43 percent. Lastly, the percentage of those identifying as Black fell to zero in 2010, while the share of American Indian and Alaskan Native remained constant at zero for both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 75.77% | 80.75% | 6.57% |
| Two or More Races | 6.89% | 10.15% | 47.31% |
| White | 12.95% | 4.93% | -61.93% |
| Hispanic | 2.85% | 3.43% | 20.35% |
| Black | 1.54% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |