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Minamoto Family History

Minamoto Surname Meaning

Japanese: written 源 ‘source origin’. With the Fujiwara and Taira, this is one of the three most prominent clans in Japanese history and is ancestral to a large number of families. It is listed in the Shinsen shōjiroku.

The Minamoto are also commonly called Genji 源氏 from the Sino-Japanese pronunciation of minamoto + the word for clan. The name itself is not common today as most of the descendant families have taken other surnames usually from their places of residence.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Minamoto family from?

You can see how Minamoto families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Minamoto family name was found in the USA in 1920. In 1920 there was 1 Minamoto family living in California. This was about 33% of all the recorded Minamoto's in USA. California and 2 other states had the highest population of Minamoto families in 1920.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Minamoto surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Minamoto ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Minamoto. 67% of Minamoto men worked as a Farmer.

View Census Data for Minamoto | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    67%
  • Cub Cane
    34%

What Minamoto family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 134 census records available for the last name Minamoto. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Minamoto census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Minamoto

Passenger Lists

There are 361 immigration records available for the last name Minamoto. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Minamoto immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 144 military records available for the last name Minamoto. For the veterans among your Minamoto ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Minamoto military records

You've only scratched the surface of Minamoto family history

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What is the average Minamoto lifespan?

Between 1968 and 2001, in the United States, Minamoto life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1997, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Minamoto in 1968 was 76, and 80 in 2001.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Minamoto

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Minamoto ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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