Surname Ogawa - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'O'
Ogawa: What does the surname Ogawa mean?
The last name Ogawa (小川) is a common Japanese surname. It is made up of two characters: "O" (小) meaning "small" and "kawa" (川) meaning "river". In Japanese culture, rivers are often associated with long-term success and longevity, and the name Ogawa often symbolizes these qualities.
The name is said to have originated from a place name where small rivers ran through. It has been thought that the name has been in use since the Heian Period (794-1185).
The Ogawa surname is extremely common in Japan. According to a survey conducted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs in 2019, approximately 0.7% of all Japanese people have the Ogawa last name, making it the 23rd most common surname in Japan.
In modern works of fiction, the Ogawa surname is often used to portray the Japanese culture. For example, in the popular series Sailor Moon, a major character of the series is named Usagi Tsukino (月野 うさぎ). Usagi's close friend and confidant is named Mamoru Chiba (千葉 衛), although his real name is revealed to be Mamoru Ogawa (小川 衛) after Chaucer in episode 63.
The Ogawa surname is a symbol of positive connotations and strong meaning associated with its original meaning. It connotes strength, long-lasting success and good luck. The Ogawas are commonly portrayed in Japanese culture as hardworking, honest and insightful. In modern times, this name still carries these positive connotations and its meaning is still deeply cherished.
Order DNA origin analysisOgawa: Where does the name Ogawa come from?
The last name Ogawa is most commonly found in Japan, specifically the Kanto region which includes Tokyo, Yokohama, and the surrounding areas. The name is derived from the old Japanese term for a small river or stream, “gawa”, and was used to denote families living near these water sources.
Ogawa is a rather common surname in Japan, with the 2020 census showing it to be the 48th most common surname, and is estimated to include around 500,000 people. It is especially popular in the prefectures of Tochigi, Yamaguchi, and Okinawa where it is often listed in the top ten surnames.
Outside of Japan, Ogawa is less common and is primarily found among Japanese diaspora communities in the Americas and Europe. It is most commonly found in Peru, the United States, and Brazil. While it remains a relatively uncommon name in most other countries, its population is starting to grow as more Japanese people choose to emigrate around the world.
Overall, the last name Ogawa is mostly confined to Japan and the diaspora, but its population is growing globally with more people choosing to move and settle abroad.
Variations of the surname Ogawa
The Ogawa surname is thought to have originated from the Ogawa Clan, a group of Japanese people that lived in the ancient regions of Kawachi Province and Yamato Province. The clan is known as one of the oldest and most influential clans in Japan, with its long and illustrious history stretching back hundreds of years.
The Ogawa surname has a few variants including Oka, Oga, Okawa, Ohga, Ogawah, and Okiwa. It can also be spelled slightly differently in various languages and dialects, such as Ogawara, Ogawara, Ogawari, and Ogawar.
There are several surnames that share the same origin as Ogawa, including the following: Fukushima, Hatakeyama, Ikeda, Iwasaki, Kariya, Kasahara, Katsuragi, Katagiri, Kobayashi, Kubo, Kuriyama, Maeda, Matsuya, Mizunuma, Mori, Morimoto, Murakami, Nagano, Nakamura, Nakano, Oe, Ono, Saito, Sakamoto, Sasaki, Shimada, Takagi, Takahashi, Takeshita, Tanabe, Ushijima, Wada, Watanabe, Yamada, and Yano.
Overall, the Ogawa surname has a long and proud history in Japanese culture. Throughout the ages, its variants and spellings have continued to evolve, creating several surnames that share a common origin.
Famous people with the name Ogawa
- Masato Ogawa: a Japanese soccer player; played for Sanfrecce Hiroshima, Vissel Kobe, and Sagan Tosu
- Akiko Ogawa: a Japanese actress and stage actress
- Ryosuke Ogawa: a Japanese rock musician who is active as the guitarist for the band Asian Kung-Fu Generation
- Reina Ogawa: a Japanese female singer-songwriter and record producer
- Masahiro Ogawa: a Japanese professional baseball pitcher
- Haruka Ogawa: a Japanese professional wrestler
- Kota Ogawa: a Japanese actor, musician, and former announcer
- Hideyuki Ogawa: a Japanese voice actor
- Hisashi Ogawa: a Japanese composer and musician, and the father of Japanese jazz
- Shun Ogawa: a Japanese manga and anime artist
- Shuri Ogawa: a Japanese musician and YouTuber
- Shohei Ogawa: the composer and lyricist of the Japanese rock band Tokyo Jihen
- Shizuka Ogawa: a Japanese actress and model best known for her work on the Japanese TV show Kamen Rider
- Tsutomu Ogawa: a Japanese television and film director
- Yosuke Ogawa: a Japanese kickboxer and mixed martial artist