Surname Murakami - Meaning and Origin
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Murakami: What does the surname Murakami mean?
The last name Murakami is of Japanese origin and it can be translated to mean either "village on the shore" or "from the town by the sea." It is common surname used by people living in Japan, although some families living outside of the country may also have this surname.
Murakami is thought to be derived from the ancient province of Mutsu, now known as Aomori Prefecture. It is believed that the name first developed when families from this region moved to other parts of Japan. Murakami can also refer to someone with roots in the czarist Russian empire who was living in Japan during World War II.
The exact etymology of Murakami is unclear. It could be derived from the Japanese word muro, meaning "field” or from the word kami, meaning "divinity," to refer to the people living on the shore of the sea. Murakami may also be linked to the Buddhist term mukamichi, which means "An unworldly side to life."
Overall, Murakami can mean different things depending on the interpretation of the person. Whether it refers to living by the coast or having an unworldly side, a Murakami family is one that originates from Japan and usually carries a strong and meaningful connection to its roots.
Order DNA origin analysisMurakami: Where does the name Murakami come from?
The surname Murakami is a common Japanese surname, most commonly found in Japan. It is estimated by ADGD that 0.2 percent of the population of Japan bear the surname Murakami. This means that in 2014 there were approximately 200,000 individuals with this last name living in Japan.
Outside of Japan, the surname Murakami is most frequently encountered in the United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that there are about 30,000 individuals living in the United States with the last name Murakami.
In South Korea, the surname Murakami is becoming increasingly common. The 2000 census found only 6 individuals with the last name Murakami in South Korea, but an analysis of the 2018 preliminary population register by the Ministry of Security and Public Administration revealed approximately 540 Murakami individuals living in South Korea.
The population of individuals with the last name Murakami is also growing in countries beyond East Asia. In Brazil, France, and Canada, the surname Murakami is sometimes seen. The exact percentage of individuals with this last name varies significantly from country to country and from year to year, but it is likely that the increasing global population and intercultural migration is allowing the surname Murakami to spread further.
Variations of the surname Murakami
The Murakami surname has many different variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Primarily, the surname written in Kanji is 村上, which is usually read as Murakami. However, there are other possible readings of the name, such as Muratami, Murao, Muramoto, Muraoka, Morimoto, Moriokami, and Murasaki.
Outside of Japan, there are also several variants of the surname, such as Murakami-Hunter, Murakami-Matteucci, Murakami-West, Murakami-VonSturmer, and Murakami-O'Neill.
Other spellings of the surname include Merakame, Murakume, Mukame, Murekame, Marukame, Morakame, Muracame, Morikama, Muramatsu, and Muraki.
There are many related surnames that are derived from Murakami, including Muraishi, Muraike, Gomikawa, Yamaike, Arimaki, Arima, and Matai.
Murakami is also a very popular surname in Korea, where it is written 무라가미 in Hangul. Depending on the different dialects and regions, the surname may be spelled or read as Muragami, Murakaemi, Mulkami, and Mulagami.
In China, the surname may be written as村加美 and read as Cun Jiamei, as well as 村上 and read as Cun Shang.
Murakami is a surname with an extensive history and many international variations. Each variation has cultivated its own meaning and significance, representing the diverse cultures of the many places where it can be found today.
Famous people with the name Murakami
- Haruki Murakami: Japanese writer. Murakami rose to prominence in the late 1980s with his novels 'Norwegian Wood' and 'A Wind-Up Bird Chronicle'.
- Ryuhei Murakami: Japanese composer. Murakami is best known for his compositions for films such as 'Death Note' and 'Earth in the Balance'.
- Yoshiaki Murakami: Japanese financier. Murakami managed a hedge fund in the late 1990s, and famously gained an estimated $1 billion in investment profits over five years.
- Ryu Murakami: Japanese novelist and filmmaker. Murakami is best known for his acclaimed novel 'Coin Locker Babies'.
- Akiko Murakami: Japanese painter. Murakami is best known for her abstract and expressionist work.
- Takahiro Murakami: Japanese animator. Murakami is best known for his animation in the 2009 film 'Ponyo'.
- Robert Murakami: American World War II veteran. Murakami served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and was decorated with several medals. 8.Kiyohide Murakami: Japanese entrepreneur. Murakami was the founder of the Murakami Sogo Trading Company, one of the largest wholesalers in Japan.
- Atsushi Murakami: Japanese physicist. Murakami is best known for his research on quantum optics and atomic-molecular collisions.
- Hiroko Murakami: Japanese fashion designer. Murakami founded the popular fashion label MURUA in 1984.