Yagi Family History

Japanese: written 八木 ‘eight trees’ or 矢木 ‘arrow tree’. It is taken from a valley in Tajima (now part of Hyōgo prefecture) by a branch of the ancient Kusakabe family which descended from Emperor Nintoku (early 5th century).

The name is also found in the Ryūkyūan island of Amami written 屋宜 with characters used phonetically. The name could also simply mean ‘goat’ or possibly be short for yanagi ‘willows’.