The 100 most common Japanese surnames
Kanji, reading, what each kanji means and how many people carry the name.
This list comes from a national surname survey by Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company, published on 24 September 2008. The company counted the surnames of about 6.1 million of its policyholders and used the share of each surname to estimate how many of Japan's 127.06 million people carry it. The rank is the one Meiji Yasuda published.
The 10 most common surnames make up 10.39% of the policyholders counted, and the 100 on this page add up to an estimated 42.75 million people, about one in three people in Japan. A sample of policyholders is not the whole population, so the populations shown are estimates.
The romanization is the one in the English Wikipedia list. The kana is the JMnedict surname reading that matches it. Where the list gives two romanizations for one surname, both are shown. The kanji meanings come from KANJIDIC2 and describe each character on its own, so they are not a translation of the surname.
Surnames
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- 1佐藤Satōさとう
佐 assistant, help; 藤 wisteria
1,990,000 people
- 2鈴木Suzukiすずき
鈴 small bell, buzzer; 木 tree, wood
1,900,000 people
- 3高橋Takahashiたかはし
高 tall, high, expensive; 橋 bridge
1,470,000 people
- 4田中Tanakaたなか
田 rice field, rice paddy; 中 in, inside, middle
1,340,000 people
- 5渡辺Watanabeわたなべ
渡 transit, ford, ferry; 辺 environs, boundary, border
1,200,000 people
- 6伊藤Itōいとう
伊 Italy, that one; 藤 wisteria
1,150,000 people
- 7中村Nakamuraなかむら
中 in, inside, middle; 村 village, town
1,080,000 people
- 8小林Kobayashiこばやし
小 little, small; 林 grove, forest
1,060,000 people
- 9山本Yamamotoやまもと
山 mountain; 本 book, present, main
1,020,000 people
- 10加藤Katōかとう
加 add, addition, increase; 藤 wisteria
920,000 people
- 11吉田Yoshidaよしだ
吉 good luck, joy, congratulations; 田 rice field, rice paddy
850,000 people
- 12山田Yamadaやまだ
山 mountain; 田 rice field, rice paddy
820,000 people
- 13佐々木Sasakiささき
佐 assistant, help; 木 tree, wood
710,000 people
- 14山口Yamaguchiやまぐち
山 mountain; 口 mouth
640,000 people
- 15松本Matsumotoまつもと
松 pine tree; 本 book, present, main
630,000 people
- 16井上Inoueいのうえ
井 well, well crib, town; 上 above, up
600,000 people
- 17木村Kimuraきむら
木 tree, wood; 村 village, town
580,000 people
- 18清水Shimizuしみず
清 pure, purify, cleanse; 水 water
560,000 people
- 19林Hayashiはやし
林 grove, forest
550,000 people
- 20斉藤Saitōさいとう
斉 adjusted, alike, equal; 藤 wisteria
530,000 people
- 21斎藤Saitōさいとう
斎 purification, Buddhist food, room; 藤 wisteria
520,000 people
- 22山崎YamazakiやまざきYamasakiやまさき
山 mountain; 崎 promontory, cape, spit
490,000 people
- 23中島NakajimaなかじまNakashimaなかしま
中 in, inside, middle; 島 island
480,000 people
- 24森Moriもり
森 forest, woods
470,000 people
- 25阿部Abeあべ
阿 Africa, flatter, fawn upon; 部 section, bureau, dept
470,000 people
- 26池田Ikedaいけだ
池 pond, cistern, pool; 田 rice field, rice paddy
450,000 people
- 27橋本Hashimotoはしもと
橋 bridge; 本 book, present, main
450,000 people
- 28石川Ishikawaいしかわ
石 stone; 川 stream, river, river or three-stroke river radical (no. 47)
440,000 people
- 29山下Yamashitaやました
山 mountain; 下 below, down, descend
410,000 people
- 30小川Ogawaおがわ
小 little, small; 川 stream, river, river or three-stroke river radical (no. 47)
410,000 people
- 31石井Ishiiいしい
石 stone; 井 well, well crib, town
400,000 people
- 32長谷川Hasegawaはせがわ
長 long, leader, superior; 谷 valley; 川 stream, river, river or three-stroke river radical (no. 47)
390,000 people
- 33後藤Gotōごとう
後 behind, back, later; 藤 wisteria
390,000 people
- 34岡田Okadaおかだ
岡 mount, hill, knoll; 田 rice field, rice paddy
380,000 people
- 35近藤Kondōこんどう
近 near, early, akin; 藤 wisteria
370,000 people
- 36前田Maedaまえだ
前 in front, before; 田 rice field, rice paddy
370,000 people
- 37藤田Fujitaふじた
藤 wisteria; 田 rice field, rice paddy
370,000 people
- 38遠藤Endōえんどう
遠 distant, far; 藤 wisteria
360,000 people
- 39青木Aokiあおき
青 blue, green; 木 tree, wood
350,000 people
- 40坂本Sakamotoさかもと
坂 slope, incline, hill; 本 book, present, main
350,000 people
- 41村上Murakamiむらかみ
村 village, town; 上 above, up
340,000 people
- 42太田Ōtaおおた
太 plump, thick, big around; 田 rice field, rice paddy
320,000 people
- 43金子Kanekoかねこ
金 gold; 子 child, sign of the rat, 11PM-1AM
310,000 people
- 44藤井Fujiiふじい
藤 wisteria; 井 well, well crib, town
310,000 people
- 45福田Fukudaふくだ
福 blessing, fortune, luck; 田 rice field, rice paddy
300,000 people
- 46西村Nishimuraにしむら
西 west, Spain; 村 village, town
300,000 people
- 47三浦Miuraみうら
三 three; 浦 bay, creek, inlet
300,000 people
- 48竹内Takeuchiたけうち
竹 bamboo; 内 inside, within, between
290,000 people
- 49中川Nakagawaなかがわ
中 in, inside, middle; 川 stream, river, river or three-stroke river radical (no. 47)
290,000 people
- 50岡本Okamotoおかもと
岡 mount, hill, knoll; 本 book, present, main
290,000 people
- 51松田Matsudaまつだ
松 pine tree; 田 rice field, rice paddy
290,000 people
- 52原田Haradaはらだ
原 meadow, original, primitive; 田 rice field, rice paddy
290,000 people
- 53中野Nakanoなかの
中 in, inside, middle; 野 plains, field, rustic
290,000 people
- 54小野Onoおの
小 little, small; 野 plains, field, rustic
280,000 people
- 55田村Tamuraたむら
田 rice field, rice paddy; 村 village, town
280,000 people
- 56藤原FujiwaraふじわらFujiharaふじはら
藤 wisteria; 原 meadow, original, primitive
270,000 people
- 57中山Nakayamaなかやま
中 in, inside, middle; 山 mountain
270,000 people
- 58石田Ishidaいしだ
石 stone; 田 rice field, rice paddy
270,000 people
- 59小島Kojimaこじま
小 little, small; 島 island
260,000 people
- 60和田Wadaわだ
和 harmony, Japanese style, peace; 田 rice field, rice paddy
260,000 people
- 61森田Moritaもりた
森 forest, woods; 田 rice field, rice paddy
250,000 people
- 62内田Uchidaうちだ
内 inside, within, between; 田 rice field, rice paddy
250,000 people
- 63柴田Shibataしばた
柴 brush, firewood; 田 rice field, rice paddy
250,000 people
- 64酒井Sakaiさかい
酒 sake, alcohol; 井 well, well crib, town
240,000 people
- 65原Haraはら
原 meadow, original, primitive
240,000 people
- 66高木TakagiたかぎTakakiたかき
高 tall, high, expensive; 木 tree, wood
240,000 people
- 67横山Yokoyamaよこやま
横 sideways, side, horizontal; 山 mountain
240,000 people
- 68安藤Andōあんどう
安 relax, cheap, low; 藤 wisteria
240,000 people
- 69宮崎MiyazakiみやざきMiyasakiみやさき
宮 Shinto shrine, constellations, palace; 崎 promontory, cape, spit
240,000 people
- 70上田UedaうえだUetaうえた
上 above, up; 田 rice field, rice paddy
240,000 people
- 71島田Shimadaしまだ
島 island; 田 rice field, rice paddy
230,000 people
- 72工藤Kudōくどう
工 craft, construction, katakana e radical (no. 48); 藤 wisteria
230,000 people
- 73大野Ōnoおおの
大 large, big; 野 plains, field, rustic
220,000 people
- 74宮本Miyamotoみやもと
宮 Shinto shrine, constellations, palace; 本 book, present, main
220,000 people
- 75杉山Sugiyamaすぎやま
杉 cedar, cryptomeria; 山 mountain
220,000 people
- 76今井Imaiいまい
今 now; 井 well, well crib, town
220,000 people
- 77丸山Maruyamaまるやま
丸 round, full (month), perfection; 山 mountain
210,000 people
- 78増田Masudaますだ
増 increase, add, augment; 田 rice field, rice paddy
210,000 people
- 79高田TakadaたかだTakataたかた
高 tall, high, expensive; 田 rice field, rice paddy
210,000 people
- 80村田Murataむらた
村 village, town; 田 rice field, rice paddy
210,000 people
- 81平野Hiranoひらの
平 even, flat, peace; 野 plains, field, rustic
210,000 people
- 82大塚Ōtsukaおおつか
大 large, big; 塚 hillock, mound
210,000 people
- 83菅原SugawaraすがわらSugaharaすがはら
菅 sedge; 原 meadow, original, primitive
210,000 people
- 84武田TakedaたけだTaketaたけた
武 warrior, military, chivalry; 田 rice field, rice paddy
200,000 people
- 85新井Araiあらい
新 new; 井 well, well crib, town
200,000 people
- 86小山KoyamaこやまOyamaおやま
小 little, small; 山 mountain
200,000 people
- 87野口Noguchiのぐち
野 plains, field, rustic; 口 mouth
200,000 people
- 88桜井Sakuraiさくらい
桜 cherry; 井 well, well crib, town
200,000 people
- 89千葉Chibaちば
千 thousand; 葉 leaf, plane, lobe
200,000 people
- 90岩崎Iwasakiいわさき
岩 boulder, rock, cliff; 崎 promontory, cape, spit
200,000 people
- 91佐野Sanoさの
佐 assistant, help; 野 plains, field, rustic
200,000 people
- 92谷口Taniguchiたにぐち
谷 valley; 口 mouth
200,000 people
- 93上野Uenoうえの
上 above, up; 野 plains, field, rustic
200,000 people
- 94松井Matsuiまつい
松 pine tree; 井 well, well crib, town
190,000 people
- 95河野KōnoこうのKawanoかわの
河 river; 野 plains, field, rustic
190,000 people
- 96市川Ichikawaいちかわ
市 market, city, town; 川 stream, river, river or three-stroke river radical (no. 47)
190,000 people
- 97渡部WatanabeわたなべWatabeわたべ
渡 transit, ford, ferry; 部 section, bureau, dept
190,000 people
- 98野村Nomuraのむら
野 plains, field, rustic; 村 village, town
180,000 people
- 99菊地Kikuchiきくち
菊 chrysanthemum; 地 ground, earth
180,000 people
- 100木下Kinoshitaきのした
木 tree, wood; 下 below, down, descend
180,000 people
Sources and credits
- Ranking and population estimates: Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company, 全国同姓調査 (national surname survey), 24 September 2008.
- Romanization: English Wikipedia, "List of common Japanese surnames", revision 1324229757, by its contributors, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: table reformatted and joined with EDRDG data.
- Kana readings and kanji meanings: JMnedict (version of 2026-09-29) and KANJIDIC2 (version 2026-272) from the Electronic Dictionary Research and Development Group, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. The EDRDG acknowledgement is at the foot of the page.
- Audio: synthetic speech from Google Cloud Text-to-Speech. See the about page.