Browse Submitted Surnames

Akahira 赤平, あかひら Japanese
From Japanese 赤 (aka) meaning "red" and 平 (hira 2) meaning "level, even, peaceful".

Asari 浅利, あさり Japanese
From Japanese 浅 (asa) meaning "shallow" and 利 (ri) meaning "benefit, advantage".

Chikamiya 近宮 Japanese
近 (chika) means ‘near, close, proximity’, 宮 (Miya) means ‘palace, shrine, temple.’ Could be used for someone who had lived near a palace, shrine, or temple. Currently used by around 10 families.

Emori 江守, えもり Japanese
From Japanese 江 (e) meaning "bay, inlet" and 守 (mori) meaning "watchman, keeper, caretaker".

Fuchiwaki 淵脇 Japanese
From 淵 (fuchi) meaning "abyss, deep pool, profound, deep end" and 脇 (waki) meaning "armpit, flank, side, underarm".

Fujinaga 藤永 Japanese
From Japanese 藤 (fuji) meaning "wisteria" and 永 (nagai) meaning "eternity".

Fukushi 福士, ふくし Japanese
From Japanese 福 (fuku) meaning "happiness, good fortune, blessing" and 士 (shi) meaning "esteemed person, gentleman".

Futami 二見, ふたみ Japanese
From Japanese 二 (futa) meaning "two" and 見 (mi) meaning "look, appearance".

Gushiken 具志堅 Okinawan, Japanese
Means "strong-willed" from Japanese 具 (gu) meaning "tool, utensil, means", 志 (shi) meaning "intention, will", and 堅 (ken) meaning "hard, resolute, unyielding".

Hasumi 蓮見, はすみ Japanese
From Japanese 蓮 (hasu) meaning "lotus" and 見 (mi) meaning "look, appearance".

Hata 泰, はた Japanese (Rare)
Variant reading of Japanese Kanji 泰 (see Tai).

Hiko Japanese
Means "prince" in Japanese. It would denote a person who acted like one.

Hime 姫, 比米, ひめ Japanese (Rare)
From Japanese 姫 (hime) meaning "princess".... [more]

Hokuseihō Japanese

Hyōdō 兵藤, ひょうどう Japanese
From Japanese 兵 (hyō) meaning "soldier" and 藤 (dō) meaning "wisteria".

Hyodo 兵藤, ひょうどう Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese 兵藤 (see Hyōdō).

Ichiyamamoto Japanese

Imanishi 今西 Japanese
From Japanese 今 (ima) meaning "now, present" and 西 (nishi) meaning "west".

Inayoshi 稲吉, いなよし Japanese
From Japanese 稲 (ina) meaning "rice plant" and 吉 (yoshi) meaning "good luck".

Itobin 糸鬢, いとびん Japanese (Rare)
From Japanese 糸鬢 (itobin) meaning a type of hairstyle.

Itoh 伊藤, いとう Japanese
Variant transcription of Japanese Kanji 伊藤 (see Itō).

Kaga 加賀, かが Japanese
From Japanese 加 (ka) meaning "add, increase" and 賀 (ka) meaning "congratulate, greet, celebrate".

Katsushima Japanese
The word Katsu (勝) meaning "cutlet" and the word Shima (島) meaning "mother".

Kazehaya 風早 Japanese
Kaze means "wind" and haya means "fast".

Kekke 結解, けっけ Japanese (Rare)
From Japanese 結解 (kekke), a variant reading of 結解 (ketsuge) meaning "klesha to nirvana".

Kondou 近藤 Japanese
From Japanese 近 (kon) meaning "near, close" and 藤 (dou) meaning "wisteria". The latter character could indicate a connection to the Fujiwara clan.

Kotaka 小高 Japanese
From Japanese 小 (ko) meaning "small" and 高 (taka) meaning "tall, high".

Kumaarashi Japanese

Maga 真賀, まが Japanese (Rare)
Variant reading of Japanese Kanji 真賀 (see Maka).

Maka 真賀, まか Japanese (Rare)
From Japanese 真 (ma) meaning "true" and 賀 (ka) meaning "congratulation".

Makka 真賀, まっか Japanese (Rare)
Variant reading of Japanese Kanji 真賀 (see Maka).

Meguro 目黒, めぐろ Japanese
From Japanese 目 (me) meaning "eye, look, appearance" and 黒 (kuro) meaning "black".

Mitakeumi Japanese

Mitomi 三富, みとみ Japanese
From Japanese 三 (mi) meaning "three" and 富 (tomi) meaning "wealth, abundance".

Nagatomo 長友 Japanese
From Japanese 長 (naga) meaning "long, eternity" and 友 (tomo) meaning "friend".

Nose 能勢, のせ Japanese
From Japanese 能 (no) meaning "ability, talent, skill" and 勢 (se) meaning "force, energy, strength".

Obinaga 帯長, 帯永, おびなが Japanese (Rare)
From Japanese 帯 (obi) meaning "sash; belt" and 長 (naga), the root form of 長い (nagai) meaning "long; lengthy".... [more]

Ohtsuki Japanese
Variant transcription of Otsuki.

Onotora 男虎, 男乕, おのとら Japanese (Rare)
From Japanese 男虎 (onotora) meaning "male tiger", from 男 (o) meaning "male; man", の (no), an unwritten possessive particle, and 虎 (tora) meaning "panthera tigris", referring to someone with qualities of a male tiger.... [more]

Osako 大迫 Japanese
From Japanese 大 (o) meaning "big, large" combined with 迫 (sako) meaning "imperative".... [more]

Ōtomo 大友, おおとも Japanese
From Japanese 大 (ō) meaning "big, great" and 友 (tomo) meaning "friend".

Oukawa Japanese

Rakuami 楽阿弥, らくあみ Japanese (Rare)
From Japanese 楽 (raku) meaning "sukha" and 阿弥 (Ami), a dharma name for male followers of Amitabha.

Saimu 宰務, さいむ Japanese (Rare)
From Japanese 宰 (sai) meaning "superintend" and 務 (mu) meaning "task; duty", referring to someone who would supervise or administer others.

Sakigake 魁, さきがけ Japanese
魁 (Sakigake) can be translated to (pioneer; leader; taking the initiative; forerunner; harbinger; herald; / leading an attack; charging ahead of others (towards the enemy)) It could be interpreted as a nickname for who's a leader

Sayto 齋藤, 斎藤 Japanese (Russified)
Alternate transcription of Saitō more commonly used by ethnic Japanese living in parts of the former Soviet Union and Sakhalin Japanese residing on Sakhalin Island in Russia.

Saytou 齋藤, 斎藤 Japanese (Russified)
Alternate transcription of Saitou more commonly used by ethnic Japanese living in parts of the former Soviet Union and Sakhalin Japanese residing on Sakhalin Island in Russia.

Sazaki Japanese
Sazaki means "wren".

Setsushi 節死 Japanese
From Japanese 節 (setsu) meaning "section, period, verse, melody" and 死 (shi) meaning "death". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Shikanai 鹿内, しかない Japanese
From Japanese 鹿 (shika) meaning "deer" and 内 (nai) meaning "inside".

Shin 泰, しん Japanese (Rare)
Variant reading of Japanese Kanji 泰 (see Tai).

Shokutsu 食通 Japanese
From Japanese 食 (shoku) meaning food and 通 (tsu) meaning "connoisseur".

Sōma 相馬, そうま Japanese
From Japanese 相 (sō) meaning "appearance" and 馬 (ma) meaning "horse".

Sumitomo 住友 Japanese
From Japanese 住 (sumi) meaning "living" and 友 (tomo) meaning "friend".

Tai 泰, たい Japanese (Rare)
From Japanese 泰 (tai) meaning "peaceful".

Taka Japanese
From Japanese taka, meaning "high, tall". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

Takakeishō Japanese

Terunofuji Japanese

Tomonaga 友永 Japanese
From Japanese 友 (tomo) meaning "friend" and 永 (naga) meaning "eternity".

Torio Japanese
Tori means "bird" and o means "tail".

Tsukasa 宰務, つかさ Japanese (Rare)
Variant reading of Japanese Kanji 宰務 (see Saimu).

Ukai 鵜飼, うかい Japanese
From Japanese 鵜 (u) meaning "cormorant (a type of bird)" and 飼 (kai) meaning "domesticate, raise".

Wakanohana Japanese

Yako 椰子 Japanese
From Japanese 椰 (ya) meaning "coconut palm" and 子 (ko) "child".

Yamauba 山姥, やまうば Japanese (Rare)
From Japanese 山姥 (yamauba/yamamba) meaning "mountain hag", referring to someone with mountain hag-like traits.

Yoshinari 吉成, よしなり Japanese
From Japanese 吉 (yoshi) meaning "fortune, good luck" and 成 (nari) meaning "become".

Yuge 結解, ゆげ Japanese (Rare)
Variant reading of Japanese Kanji 結解 (see Kekke).