Ranking scope
Rank and share come from Meiji Yasuda Life's 2018 policyholder-name survey. The sample is useful evidence, but it is not a current nationwide census.
Reviewed surname directory
Japanese Last Names
Browse 50 reviewed Japanese surnames with exact kanji and readings, cited 2018 sample ranks, evidence limits, and full record links.
- Reviewed records
- 50
- Survey year
- 2018
- Latest review
- 2026-07-27
Meaning scope
The cards show character-level dictionary glosses. Kanji alone cannot prove one lineage, occupation, or place of origin for every family using a surname.
Source record
Review the survey's recorded scope and limitations in the source catalog.
Cited survey directory
Browse reviewed surname records
Ranks and shares refer to the cited 2018 Meiji Yasuda policyholder survey. They are not a current population census.
50 of 50 records
2018 sample rank #1
Sato
さとう
- Sample share
- 1.53%
- Character gloss
- 佐 — assistant; help; 藤 — wisteria
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2018 sample rank #2
Suzuki
すずき
- Sample share
- 1.44%
- Character gloss
- 鈴 — small bell; buzzer; 木 — tree; wood
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2018 sample rank #3
Takahashi
たかはし
- Sample share
- 1.14%
- Character gloss
- 高 — tall; high; expensive; 橋 — bridge
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2018 sample rank #4
Tanaka
たなか
- Sample share
- 1.06%
- Character gloss
- 田 — rice field; rice paddy; 中 — in; inside; middle; center
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2018 sample rank #5
Watanabe
わたなべ
- Sample share
- 0.94%
- Character gloss
- 渡 — transit; ford; ferry; cross; 辺 — environs; boundary; border; vicinity
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2018 sample rank #6
Ito
いとう
- Sample share
- 0.9%
- Character gloss
- 伊 — Italy; that one; 藤 — wisteria
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2018 sample rank #7
Nakamura
なかむら
- Sample share
- 0.85%
- Character gloss
- 中 — in; inside; middle; mean; 村 — village; town
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2018 sample rank #8
Kobayashi
こばやし
- Sample share
- 0.83%
- Character gloss
- 小 — little; small; 林 — grove; forest
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2018 sample rank #9
Yamamoto
やまもと
- Sample share
- 0.82%
- Character gloss
- 山 — mountain; 本 — book; present; main; origin
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2018 sample rank #10
Kato
かとう
- Sample share
- 0.71%
- Character gloss
- 加 — add; addition; increase; join; 藤 — wisteria
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2018 sample rank #11
Yoshida
よしだ
- Sample share
- 0.68%
- Character gloss
- 吉 — good luck; joy; congratulations; 田 — rice field; rice paddy
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2018 sample rank #12
Yamada
やまだ
- Sample share
- 0.65%
- Character gloss
- 山 — mountain; 田 — rice field; rice paddy
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2018 sample rank #13
Sasaki
ささき
- Sample share
- 0.55%
- Character gloss
- 佐 — assistant; help; 々 — iteration mark (repeats the preceding character); 木 — tree; wood
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2018 sample rank #14
Yamaguchi
やまぐち
- Sample share
- 0.51%
- Character gloss
- 山 — mountain; 口 — mouth
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2018 sample rank #15
Matsumoto
まつもと
- Sample share
- 0.5%
- Character gloss
- 松 — pine tree; 本 — book; present; main; origin
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2018 sample rank #16
Saito
さいとう
- Sample share
- 0.48%
- Character gloss
- 斎 — purification; Buddhist food; room; worship; 藤 — wisteria
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2018 sample rank #17
Inoue
いのうえ
- Sample share
- 0.48%
- Character gloss
- 井 — well; well crib; town; community; 上 — above; up
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2018 sample rank #18
Kimura
きむら
- Sample share
- 0.46%
- Character gloss
- 木 — tree; wood; 村 — village; town
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2018 sample rank #19
Hayashi
はやし
- Sample share
- 0.44%
- Character gloss
- 林 — grove; forest
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2018 sample rank #20
Shimizu
しみず
- Sample share
- 0.43%
- Character gloss
- 清 — pure; purify; cleanse; exorcise; 水 — water
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2018 sample rank #21
Yamazaki
やまざき
- Sample share
- 0.39%
- Character gloss
- 山 — mountain; 崎 — promontory; cape; spit
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2018 sample rank #22
Nakajima
なかじま
- Sample share
- 0.38%
- Character gloss
- 中 — in; inside; middle; mean; 島 — island
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2018 sample rank #23
Mori
もり
- Sample share
- 0.38%
- Character gloss
- 森 — forest; woods
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2018 sample rank #24
Abe
あべ
- Sample share
- 0.37%
- Character gloss
- 阿 — Africa; flatter; fawn upon; corner; 部 — section; bureau; dept; class
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2018 sample rank #25
Ikeda
いけだ
- Sample share
- 0.36%
- Character gloss
- 池 — pond; cistern; pool; reservoir; 田 — rice field; rice paddy
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2018 sample rank #26
Hashimoto
はしもと
- Sample share
- 0.36%
- Character gloss
- 橋 — bridge; 本 — book; present; main; origin
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2018 sample rank #27
Ishikawa
いしかわ
- Sample share
- 0.34%
- Character gloss
- 石 — stone; 川 — stream; river; river or three-stroke river radical (no. 47)
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2018 sample rank #29
Yamashita
やました
- Sample share
- 0.33%
- Character gloss
- 山 — mountain; 下 — below; down; descend; give
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2018 sample rank #30
Ogawa
おがわ
- Sample share
- 0.33%
- Character gloss
- 小 — little; small; 川 — stream; river; river or three-stroke river radical (no. 47)
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2018 sample rank #31
Ishii
いしい
- Sample share
- 0.32%
- Character gloss
- 石 — stone; 井 — well; well crib; town; community
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2018 sample rank #32
Goto
ごとう
- Sample share
- 0.31%
- Character gloss
- 後 — behind; back; later; 藤 — wisteria
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2018 sample rank #33
Hasegawa
はせがわ
- Sample share
- 0.3%
- Character gloss
- 長 — long; leader; superior; senior; 谷 — valley; 川 — stream; river; river or three-stroke river radical (no. 47)
Open reviewed surname record →
2018 sample rank #34
Okada
おかだ
- Sample share
- 0.3%
- Character gloss
- 岡 — mount; hill; knoll; 田 — rice field; rice paddy
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2018 sample rank #35
Maeda
まえだ
- Sample share
- 0.3%
- Character gloss
- 前 — in front; before; 田 — rice field; rice paddy
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2018 sample rank #36
Kondo
こんどう
- Sample share
- 0.3%
- Character gloss
- 近 — near; early; akin; tantamount; 藤 — wisteria
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2018 sample rank #37
Fujita
ふじた
- Sample share
- 0.29%
- Character gloss
- 藤 — wisteria; 田 — rice field; rice paddy
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2018 sample rank #38
Sakamoto
さかもと
- Sample share
- 0.28%
- Character gloss
- 坂 — slope; incline; hill; 本 — book; present; main; origin
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2018 sample rank #39
Endo
えんどう
- Sample share
- 0.28%
- Character gloss
- 遠 — distant; far; 藤 — wisteria
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2018 sample rank #40
Murakami
むらかみ
- Sample share
- 0.28%
- Character gloss
- 村 — village; town; 上 — above; up
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2018 sample rank #41
Aoki
あおき
- Sample share
- 0.27%
- Character gloss
- 青 — blue; green; 木 — tree; wood
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2018 sample rank #42
Fujii
ふじい
- Sample share
- 0.25%
- Character gloss
- 藤 — wisteria; 井 — well; well crib; town; community
Open reviewed surname record →
2018 sample rank #43
Ota
おおた
- Sample share
- 0.25%
- Character gloss
- 太 — plump; thick; big around; 田 — rice field; rice paddy
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2018 sample rank #44
Fukuda
ふくだ
- Sample share
- 0.25%
- Character gloss
- 福 — blessing; fortune; luck; wealth; 田 — rice field; rice paddy
Open reviewed surname record →
2018 sample rank #45
Kaneko
かねこ
- Sample share
- 0.24%
- Character gloss
- 金 — gold; 子 — child; sign of the rat; 11PM-1AM; first sign of Chinese zodiac
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2018 sample rank #46
Nishimura
にしむら
- Sample share
- 0.24%
- Character gloss
- 西 — west; Spain; 村 — village; town
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2018 sample rank #47
Miura
みうら
- Sample share
- 0.24%
- Character gloss
- 三 — three; 浦 — bay; creek; inlet; gulf
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2018 sample rank #48
Nakagawa
なかがわ
- Sample share
- 0.24%
- Character gloss
- 中 — in; inside; middle; mean; 川 — stream; river; river or three-stroke river radical (no. 47)
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2018 sample rank #49
Nakano
なかの
- Sample share
- 0.23%
- Character gloss
- 中 — in; inside; middle; mean; 野 — plains; field; rustic; civilian life
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2018 sample rank #50
Matsuda
まつだ
- Sample share
- 0.23%
- Character gloss
- 松 — pine tree; 田 — rice field; rice paddy
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2018 sample rank #51
Harada
はらだ
- Sample share
- 0.23%
- Character gloss
- 原 — meadow; original; primitive; field; 田 — rice field; rice paddy
Open reviewed surname record →