Kano Family History

Japanese: the name can be either 狩野 ‘hunting range’ or (with characters used phonetically) 加納 or 嘉納 (Kanō with a long final vowel). The first two are found as placenames throughout Japan. One Kano 狩野 family was descended from the Itō branch (see Ito) of the southern Fujiwara.

A family of artists who founded a school promoting their style greatly renowned since the 15th century writes their name 狩野 but pronounces it with the long vowel. Another Kanō 加納 family was descended from daimyō (feudal lords) of Suruga (now part of Shizuoka prefecture) and yet another from the Matsudaira family of Kanō-mura in Mikawa (now part of Aichi prefecture).

Japanese: possibly a variant of Kanno. Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Kahane.