Surname Ueno - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'U'
Ueno: What does the surname Ueno mean?
The last name Ueno is of Japanese origin and is found in modern day Japan as well as communities of Japanese heritage located around the world. The name translates to "above the ricefield" and can be broken down by the two characters of its kanji, “ue” meaning above or on top of, and “no” meaning field or wild. It is therefore believed to signify a place above a field or possibly one built on the hillside overlooking a field of rice.
The Ueno surname is used mostly by the Japanese Imperial family and their related clans. It is also commonly found in the Ryukyu Islands, which were traditionally part of Japan, but are now an autonomous region of Japan known as Okinawa.
Beyond Japan, Ueno is an especially popular surname among those of Japanese-American descent, primarily in the United States mainland and Central and South America. Due to centuries of immigration, it is also possible to encounter the surname Ueno amongst Okinawan, Korean, and Chinese-speaking communities but it remains a predominantly Japanese surname.
In Japan, the surname Ueno is often associated with great figures of culture and nobility. Notable people with the surname Ueno include Kaoru Ueno, the diplomat and politician who lead the Japanese delegation to the Hague Conference of 1907, and 16th-century samurai Takanobu Ueno, who served as a general under the renowned daimyo Oda Nobunaga.
Order DNA origin analysisUeno: Where does the name Ueno come from?
The surname "Ueno" is most commonly found today in Japan. Due to the high population density on the island nation, it is a relatively common surname. As of 2015, the Ueno surname ranks as the 229th-most common surname in Japan, out of the roughly 300,000 surnames used in Japan at that time.
The origin of this surname is not completely certain; however, most accounts point to an origin of the Ueno surname being in the Kinai region of western Japan, which was established as early as the Yamato period (250–710 CE). This region has remained largely unchanged over the centuries and, as such, the Ueno surname remains most prevalent in central and western Japan.
Many notable Japanese people are known to have the Ueno surname, such as former Prime Minister of Japan Hatoyama Ichirō, film director Ueno Jūzō, and the Assassination Classroom character Ueno Kayano. The Ueno surname is also common in other countries, particularly the United States and Brazil due to the diasporas of second-generation Japanese citizens. However, the surname is much less common outside of Japan.
Variations of the surname Ueno
Ueno is a Japanese surname, derived from the region of the same name. Ueno is a geographically-based surnames, meaning that it changes depending on the region, and there are many variants of the surname across Japan. Some of the variations of Ueno include Uenozawa, Uneo, Uonozawa, Uenoue, Unezu, Unezuwa, Uenokaze, Uenoura, Uenohara, Uenoumi, Uenotori, Uenomatsu, Uenoji, and Uenomizuhaya.
In some cases, Ueno may also be written as 上野, which is the kanji character set for the surname, or as Uenoh or Ueyno. The surnames Uezono and Umeno may also have the same origin as Ueno.
In addition, non-literal spellings of Ueno can be found in other countries, especially in the US, where the surname is often written as Yono, Yonoue, or Yonezu. Ueno is also sometimes anglicized to Uno, Ugnon, or Unoe, as well as adapted to other countries' languages, such as French with Uno.
There are numerous families with the Ueno surname around Japan, with over 6,000 registered families as of 2015. Ueno is one of the most common surnames in Japan, as well as in other countries, such as in the United States, where over 8,000 individuals with this surname reside.
Famous people with the name Ueno
- Ueno Juri: Ueno Juri is a Japanese theater, television and film actress born in 1986. She has been active since 2003 and has starred in numerous hit films, dramas, and music videos.
- Ueno Hidenori: Ueno Hidenori is a Japanese comedian, television presenter and actor born in 1965. He is best known for his roles in the comedy duo Ucchii & Hidenori.
- Ueno Leina: Ueno Leina is a Japanese figure skater who won the gold medal at the 1992 Winter Olympics. She is also a two-time world champion.
- Ueno Yoko: Ueno Yoko is a Japanese singer, songwriter, actress, and television presenter. She has released six studio albums and is especially famous for her role as Nation Sister in the TV show Uta no☆Prince-sama♪ Maji Love 1000%.
- Ueno Chizuko: Ueno Chizuko is a Japanese sociologist born in 1952. She is most noted for writing the highly influential book "The Formation of Patriarchy".
- Ueno Noguchi: Ueno Noguchi is a Japanese sprint athlete. He won a silver medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics and a gold medal at the 1991 Asian Athletics Championships.
- Ueno Toshiya: Ueno Toshiya is a Japanese professional golfer born in 1974. He has won three events on the Japan Golf Tour and is a two-time major championship winner.
- Ueno Masashi: Ueno Masashi is a Japanese professional golfer who joined the Japan Golf Tour in 2004. He has three career victories on the tour and won the the Gateway to the Open Mizuno Open in 2019.
- Ueno Keisuke: Ueno Keisuke is a Japanese novelist, essayist, and playwright. His works explore the intricate psychological details of the human condition.
- Ueno Hiroko: Ueno Hiroko is a Japanese actress and television personality primarily known for her roles in the theatres. She is widely recognized for her performances in the plays Lemons, Cool Life, and Ai no Kyūen.