Explore the Family Name Yamagata
The meaning of Yamagata
Japanese: written 山形 ‘mountain shape’ or 山縣 ‘mountain district’. Bearers of the first are descendants of the Shiba branch of the Minamoto clan, and took the name from a village in Uzen (now Yamagata prefecture). Bearers of the second are of the Tada branch of the same clan, and took their name from a district in Mino (now Gifu prefecture). Some characteristic forenames: Japanese Eishi, Hideo, Kumiko, Sayaka, Tadashi, Toshiro, Ako, Ayako, Eiji, Hideki, Hiromi, Hisayo.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Yamagata in the United States?
According to the data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Yamagata has seen a marginal increase in its popularity ranking between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Yamagata was the 46,523rd most popular surname, but by 2010 it had improved slightly to be the 46,404th most common name. The number of individuals with this surname also saw a modest uptick during this decade, from 431 in 2000 to 459 in 2010, a change of 6.5%. However, when looked at in terms of proportion per 100,000 people, the prevalence of the Yamagata surname remained steady at 0.16.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #46,523 | #46,404 | 0.26% |
| Count | 431 | 459 | 6.5% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.16 | 0.16 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Yamagata
In regards to ethnicity, Yamagata is predominantly associated with the Asian/Pacific Islander community, based on the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, 78.65% of those with the surname identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, though this percentage declined to 71.24% by 2010. Those identifying as two or more races increased over the same period, rising from 7.89% in 2000 to 12.20% in 2010. There was also a notable increase in those with the Yamagata surname identifying as Hispanic, with the percentage growing from 2.78% to 4.79%. White individuals holding this surname slightly increased from 9.51% to 10.89%. Black individuals and American Indian and Alaskan Natives with the Yamagata surname were not represented in the data for either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 78.65% | 71.24% | -9.42% |
| Two or More Races | 7.89% | 12.2% | 54.63% |
| White | 9.51% | 10.89% | 14.51% |
| Hispanic | 2.78% | 4.79% | 72.3% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |