Surname Miyamoto - Meaning and Origin
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Miyamoto: What does the surname Miyamoto mean?
The last name Miyamoto is a Japanese surname which is derived from the Japanese words, miya (宮) meaning “shrine” and moto (元) meaning “origin,” or “base.” Generally, one with the last name Miyamoto could be descended from someone (often a samurai) who was employed at or was descended from someone employed at a shrine.
The Miyamoto surname is also associated with the musical instrument used in the Japanese court of the Heian period: the biwa. According to legend, one of the most renowned players during this period was Kiyomaro, a descendant of the gods, and his descendants went on to bear the name “Miyamoto” as well. As a result of this legend, many people with the surname Miyamoto would perform the biwa at shrines.
Today, the Miyamoto surname is most commonly associated with the legendary acclaimed video game designer and producer Shigeru Miyamoto, best known for his work such as Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong, and Pikmin. His fame has led to a surge in the popularity of the Miyamoto surname due to his success in the video game industry.
Overall, the last name Miyamoto has strong connections to shrines and music, and it is tied to the legendary biwa player of the Heian period, Kiyomaro. It is largely recognized today for being associated with the world-renowned video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto.
Order DNA origin analysisMiyamoto: Where does the name Miyamoto come from?
The last name Miyamoto is most commonly found in Japan today. It is estimated that there are nearly 15,000 people with the last name in Japan, in areas such as Tokyo and Osaka. It is also found in the United States, Canada, and other countries with Japanese expatriate populations.
The origin of the surname Miyamoto is believed to be an area of land near the city of Kagoshima. Kagoshima would have originally been part of the Ryukyu Kingdom, and it's believed that during the Edo period, the residents of the region adopted the last name Miyamoto.
The Miyamoto name is still found in commercial establishments all over Japan, including a variety of restaurants, bakeries, toy stores, and other businesses.
Outside of Japan, Miyamoto is a relatively uncommon name, but is still found in some countries with large Japanese expatriate populations. In the United States, there are an estimated 2,000 people with the Miyamoto surname. In Canada, there are approximately 700 people with the surname Miyamoto.
In the United States, Miyamoto is also connected to a famous name in the gaming industry, Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of the Super Mario Bros. franchise.
Overall, the last name Miyamoto is common in Japan today, and can also be found in other countries with Japanese expatriates. It is likely to remain a popular name in Japan for generations to come.
Variations of the surname Miyamoto
The Japanese surname 'Miyamoto' is an incredibly common one, which is derived from a princely family of the same name. It can be written in multiple ways, with the most common being 宮本. Other variations include 三山 and 宮元, which use different characters to represent the same syllables as the original spelling but produce different meanings. In addition, Miyamoto can also be written as Miyamizu or Miamoto, which are on-yomi pronunciations of the characters, 都 pronounced as 'miyami' and 濃 pronounced as 'moto'.
Other common spellings derived from Miyamoto include Miyao, Miyamori, Miyazawa, and Miyano. Additionally, less common surnames derived from the original of Miyamoto include Mukamudo, Mikami, and Muyama.
Surnames that share a common origin with Miyamoto include Yonemoto, Furumoto, Shinshimoto, and Watanabe. These names are composed of the same syllables as Miyamoto, but they are composed of new combinations of characters, changing the meaning of the name and the pronunciation.
Many international variants for Miyamoto also exist. For instance, the Italian equivalent is Mamiotto, the French version is Maïamoto, and the Spanish spelling is Miyamotos.
Altogether, there are quite a few spellings, surnames, and variants of the Miyamoto surname, all of them having a common origin, many of them having similar meanings, and some of them even being pronounced similarly.
Famous people with the name Miyamoto
- Shigeru Miyamoto: A Japanese video game designer and producer who is best known as being the creator of the Mario, Donkey Kong, The Legend of Zelda, Pikmin, Star Fox, and Animal Crossing franchises of video games.
- Tadayuki Miyamoto: Japanese classical conductor and composer, music director of Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra from 2007-2013, and currently the head conductor of Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra since 2013.
- Mari Miyamoto: Japanese voice actress who has been active since 1985. She has enlivened many characters in anime series, gal games, and tokusatsu.
- Naoki Miyamoto: Japanese cross-country skier and multi-time Olympian who participated in the 1992, 1994, 1998, and 2002 Winter Olympics, and at the 2006 Winter Paralympics.
- Shinya Miyamoto: Japanese professional soccer player and former manager of Osaka-based J1 League team Gamba Osaka.
- Tadashi Miyamoto: Japanese professional race car driver known for racing in the Japan Automobile Federation GT300 series.
- Teruya Miyamoto: Japanese composer and orchestra conductor.
- Kōji Miyamoto: Japanese politician and member of the House of Representatives in the Diet.
- Tatsuyuki Miyamoto: Japanese volleyball trainer and former player, head trainer of Osaka's pro volleyball team, the Toray Arrows.
- Keisuke Miyamoto: Japanese footballer currently playing for J1 League club Nagoya Grampus.