Explore the Family Name Yamashiro
The meaning of Yamashiro
Japanese: written 山城 ‘mountain castle’. It is taken from the name of the main province of the three which now comprise Kyōto prefecture. The placename originally meant ‘behind the mountains’ (yama no ushiro) and described the position of the place relative to the more ancient capital city of Nara. When Emperor Kanmu moved the capital there in 794, he changed the second element to its present meaning. Some other families have taken the name from other places with the same name. The surname is mainly found in western Japan and the Ryūkyū Islands, where it is pronounced Yamagushiku. It is listed in the Shinsen shōjiroku as 山背 ‘behind the mountains’. Some characteristic forenames: Japanese Hisako, Seiko, Shigeko, Shigeru, Tadao, Akiyo, Haru, Hide, Hideo, Hiroshi, Isami, Isao.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Yamashiro in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Yamashiro has seen a slight shift in the United States between 2000 and 2010. In the year 2000, Yamashiro was ranked 25,329 in terms of common surnames, but by 2010, it had moved up to rank 24,608, marking a change of 2.85%. The count of people bearing this surname also increased from 918 to 1,015 in the same period, showing an increase of approximately 10.57%. However, the proportion per 100k people remained constant at 0.34.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #25,329 | #24,608 | 2.85% |
| Count | 918 | 1,015 | 10.57% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.34 | 0.34 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Yamashiro
Regarding ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data indicates some changes in the distribution associated with the surname Yamashiro. In 2000, about 84.20% of individuals with this surname identified as Asian/Pacific Islander. This percentage dropped to 76.35% in 2010, a decrease of roughly 9.32%. Those identifying with two or more ethnic identities saw a significant increase of 111.79%, rising from 5.77% to 12.22%. The percentage of individuals identifying as White decreased slightly from 5.88% to 5.12%, and those identifying as Hispanic saw an increase from 4.14% to 6.31%. No individuals with the Yamashiro surname identified as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either census.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 84.2% | 76.35% | -9.32% |
| Two or More Races | 5.77% | 12.22% | 111.79% |
| Hispanic | 4.14% | 6.31% | 52.42% |
| White | 5.88% | 5.12% | -12.93% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |