2000
#6,378
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,913
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.82
Rare Last name
Takahashi
A Japanese surname meaning "high bridge," referring to someone who lived near a prominent bridge or overpass.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,525 Americans carry the last name Takahashi. That puts it at #6,728 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.61 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 62,037 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Takahashi surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
5.5K
1 in 62,037
Census rank
#6,728
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,818 bearers of the surname Takahashi in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.61 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6728th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Takahashi, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 79.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.8%) and White (5.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Takahashi
The surname Takahashi is of Japanese origin, and it can be traced back to the early feudal period of Japan, around the 12th to 16th centuries. The name is derived from the Japanese words "taka," meaning "tall" or "high," and "hashi," meaning "bridge" or "path." It is believed that the name was originally given to someone who lived near a prominent bridge or elevated path.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Takahashi name can be found in the historical records of the Kamakura Shogunate, a military government that ruled Japan from 1192 to 1333. During this period, the Takahashi family is mentioned as a prominent samurai clan serving under the Shogunate.
In the Muromachi period, spanning from 1336 to 1573, the Takahashi name appears in various historical documents and records. One notable figure from this era was Takahashi Masanaga, a renowned warrior and military strategist who served under the powerful Takeda clan during the Sengoku period (1467-1603).
During the Edo period (1603-1868), the Takahashi name continued to be prominent, particularly in the Kanto region of central Japan. This period saw the rise of several Takahashi clan members who held influential positions within the Tokugawa Shogunate, the ruling military government of the time.
One of the most famous individuals with the Takahashi surname was Takahashi Korekiyo (1854-1936), a Japanese statesman and diplomat who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 1921 to 1922. He played a crucial role in shaping Japan's foreign policy during the early 20th century.
Another notable figure was Takahashi Yasuhiro (1856-1935), a prominent Japanese businessman and industrialist. He founded the Takahashi Kogyosho, a successful shipbuilding company that played a significant role in Japan's industrialization during the Meiji period (1868-1912).
In the literary world, Takahashi Muneteru (1871-1935) was a renowned Japanese novelist and poet. His works, which often explored themes of love, nature, and human emotions, were highly influential in the development of modern Japanese literature.
The Takahashi name has also been associated with several historical places and locations in Japan. For example, the Takahashi River in Shizuoka Prefecture and the Takahashi District in Okayama Prefecture are both named after the Takahashi clan that once held significant influence in those regions.
Overall, the surname Takahashi has a rich history that spans several centuries and is deeply intertwined with Japan's cultural, political, and economic development. From its origins as a name associated with prominent bridges or paths, it has evolved to be carried by influential individuals across various fields, solidifying its place in Japanese history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Takahashi
Among Census respondents with the surname Takahashi, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 79.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.8%) and White (5.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Takahashi bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Takahashi surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander79.0% · 3,807
- Two or more races10.8% · 522
- White5.6% · 270
- Hispanic or Latino4.1% · 199
- Black or African American0.3% · 16
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Takahashi
Takahashi appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#6,839
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,928
+15 bearers (+0.3%)
Per 100,000 1.67
Rank movement Down 461 places
2020
#6,728
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,818
-110 bearers (-2.2%)
Per 100,000 1.61
Rank movement Up 111 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,378 | 4,913 | 1.82 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,839 | 4,928 | 1.67 | +15 bearers (+0.3%) | Down 461 places |
| 2020 | #6,728 | 4,818 | 1.61 | -110 bearers (-2.2%) | Up 111 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Takahashi surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,839 | #6,728 | 1.6% |
| Count | 4,928 | 4,818 | -2.2% |
| Per 100K | 1.67 | 1.61 | -3.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Takahashi bearers went from 4,928 to 4,818 (-2.2% change). The surname moved up 111 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,839 to #6,728.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Takahashi
FAQ
Takahashi surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Takahashi?
Name Census estimates that about 5,525 living Americans carry the surname Takahashi. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 62,037 residents.
How common is Takahashi?
Takahashi ranks #6,728 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.61 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,818 people with the surname Takahashi. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,525), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.61 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.61 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Takahashi.
Has Takahashi become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Takahashi went from 4,928 recorded bearers to 4,818. That is a decrease of 110 (-2.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #6,839 to #6,728.
What does the Census say about the background of Takahashi?
Among Census respondents with the surname Takahashi, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 79.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.8%) and White (5.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Takahashi in the 2020 Census, accounting for 79.0% (3,807 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Takahashi appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (79.0%), Two or More Races (10.8%), White (5.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Takahashi (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Takahashi mean?
A Japanese surname meaning "high bridge," referring to someone who lived near a prominent bridge or overpass. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Takahashi (1.61 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Takahashi?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.