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Every place across Japan, there are prestigious and famous families who are rumored to be so-called "local famous people." Even if you say, "We are a very ordinary family," it is not uncommon to find that if you trace our ancestors carefully, they actually belong to a family of venerable samurai.
In this article, we look into the surnames of prestigious families in Yamagata Prefecture. If you have ever had a classmate with a surname like that, it's possible that they actually come from a good family
30 Surnames Connected to Distinguished Families in Yamagata Prefecture ( in alphabetical order)
I got the impression that in the Shonai region on the Sea of Japan side, there were many surnames with roots in wealthy merchants, while in the inland areas there were many surnames connected to powerful samurai families
Ayukai (sweetfish shellfish)
He was a local lord of Okitama County, Dewa Province, and a vassal of the Yonezawa Date clan, and his castle was Ayugai Castle (Ayugai, Shirataka Town, Nishiokitama County, Yamagata Prefecture), located on the border with the Mogami clan. Later, when Date Masamune was transferred to Iwadeyama, Moritsugu also moved to Tsutsumi Village, Shibata County (Shibata County, Miyagi Prefecture)
Akino
A wealthy merchant from Kamo Village, Tagawa County (now Tsuruoka City), the family later started a sake brewing business and even produced a mayor for Kamo Town from the end of the Meiji period through the Taisho period
Abumiya
He was a wealthy merchant who ran a shipping wholesaler under the trade name "Abumiya" in Sakata Port (Sakata City). In 1807, he adopted the surname "Abumiya," which was derived from his trade name. The restored and renovated former Abumiya building is preserved and open to the public as a nationally designated historic site
The Echigo Uesugi family was the lord of the Yonezawa domain, and is a noble family with many famous figures, including the Sengoku daimyo Uesugi Kenshin, Uesugi Kagekatsu, one of the five elders of the Toyotomi government, and Uesugi Yozan, the ninth lord of the Yonezawa domain, who was famous for reviving the domain's finances
This noble family originated from Oe Hiromoto, a famous senior vassal of the Kamakura Shogunate who was one of the 13 Lords of Kamakura. It is also said to be related to the place name Oe-cho. There are many of them in the Murayama region, centered around Higashine City
A family with roots in the Okitama region (Yonezawa, Nagai, Nanyo, etc.). Distributed among wealthy farmers and village headmen during the Edo period. An extremely rare surname, with only around 10 people in the Okitama region
Oda
A descendant of Oda Nobunaga who moved to Tendo in 1830 after passing through Takahata. Former lord of Tendo domain
A wealthy merchant who rose to prominence in the miso and soy sauce brewing industry in Tsuruoka Castle (Tsuruoka City) during the Genroku period
Kazaori
He was a wealthy merchant who prospered as a rice wholesaler under the name Iseya in Tsuruoka Castle (Tsuruoka City)
Kazama
He was a wealthy merchant who rose to prominence as a wholesaler of kimonos and heavy goods under the trade name "Kanaya" in Tsuruoka Castle Town (Tsuruoka City). In the Meiji period, he began a money lending business and was famous as a major landowner second only to the Homma family. Heishindo, which served as the family's money lending store and residence, is preserved and open to the public as a nationally designated important cultural property
A powerful local lord in Dewa who was based in Kaminoyama Castle (present-day Kaminoyama City, Yamagata Prefecture). For some reason, there are more families with the surname "Kaminoyama" in Iwate and Aomori than in Yamagata
Sakai
The lord of Tsuruoka Domain (later Oizumi Domain). His family is descended from Sakai Tadatsugu, known as the leader of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Tokugawa and the Sixteen Divine Generals of the Tokugawa. Sankyo Warehouse, a tourist attraction in Sakata City, was built by the wealthy merchant Homma family under the orders of the Sakai family, lords of the Shonai Domain. It has been designated a national historic site
The family was a branch of Oe Hiromoto, a famous senior vassal of the Kamakura Shogunate, and was one of the 13 Lords of Kamakura. They ruled the Sagae Manor as local lords. Also known as the Sagae Oe clan, they were a feudal lord of Dewa during the Sengoku period. Currently, this family name is widely distributed throughout Yamagata Prefecture, with its main focus being Yamagata City
A local lord of Mogami County, Dewa Province. He built Sakenobe Castle in what is now Mamurogawa Town, Mogami County, and fought against the Mogami clan, but was defeated. After that, he joined the Mogami clan and ruled the northern part of Mogami County. It is a rare surname, said to exist in only about 10 people
Landlord
Originally from Mikawa Province (present-day eastern Aichi Prefecture), he moved to Tsuruoka when the Sakai clan was transferred to Shonai. In the late Edo period, he became a wealthy merchant who owned a lot of land, and was also a feudal lord with a stipend of 150 koku. Currently, this surname is common in the Shonai region of Yamagata Prefecture and Akita Prefecture in the Tohoku region
Swan
He was the lord of Shiratori Castle (Shiratori, Yamagata City) in Mogami County, Dewa Province. He belonged to the Mogami clan. In the current Tohoku region, there are many such clans in Kurihara City, Miyagi Prefecture and Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture
Daihoji Temple
A feudal lord of Tagawa County, Dewa Province during the Sengoku period. The Muto clan, who served Minamoto no Yoritomo, were the ancestors of the Muto clan, and they took the name Oizumi after becoming the land steward of Oizumi Manor. During the Nanboku-cho period, they built Daihoji Castle (later Tsurugaoka Castle) in what is now Baba-cho, Tsuruoka City, and thereafter took the name Daihoji and ruled the Shonai region
Takemata
The family was a chief retainer of the Yonezawa domain and served as a close aide to Uesugi Kenshin during the Sengoku period. Currently, this surname is found in Yamagata Prefecture as well as Fukushima Prefecture
Tateoka
This family name is descended from the Tateoka clan, a branch of the Mogami clan that ruled Tateoka Castle in Dewa Province (Tateoka, Murayama City, Yamagata Prefecture). The family is famous for Tateoka Mitsushige, a military commander from the Sengoku period to the early Edo period
Chisaka
The family has served the Uesugi clan for generations since the Muromachi period and was a chief retainer of the Yonezawa domain. The family is famous for Chisaka Hyobu, who appears in the novel "Chushingura." Today, this surname is common in Miyagi Prefecture
Tendo
A feudal lord of the Dewa region during the Sengoku period. He was based in Tendo Castle (present-day Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture). Originally a descendant of the Satomi clan, a branch of the Nitta clan of the Seiwa Genji clan, the family became descended from the Ashikaga and Shiba clans after adopting a son from the Mogami clan during the Nanboku-cho period. He built up a major power base in the northern part of the Murayama region towards the end of the Sengoku period, and served as the leader of the Mogami Hachidate, a powerful alliance of local lords in the Murayama region. This surname is currently common in Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture, and Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture
Tozawa
Lord of the Shinjo Domain in Dewa. Originally a feudal lord in the Sengoku region of Akita Prefecture, he was transferred to Shinjo in 1622. He is famous for his brave and wise Tozawa Moriyasu, who was feared and nicknamed "Demonicuro" or "Yashakuro." Even today, this surname is common in Semboku City, Akita Prefecture, where his roots lie
The family is famous for Nobesawa Mitsunobu, the lord of Nobesawa Castle (Obanazawa City) and a member of the Mogami Hachidate, a powerful alliance of local lords in the Murayama region. It is said that the Mogami Hachidate fell apart when Mitsunobu was recruited by the Mogami family. The name can also be found at the Nobesawa Silver Mine ruins near Ginzan Onsen. Although the number of people with this surname is small, it can currently be found in Yamagata Prefecture, Hyogo Prefecture, and Tokyo
Haga
The family was a merchant family that ran a secondhand clothing and heavy goods business in Tsuruoka Castle (Tsuruoka City). They served as town elders for generations and were one of Tsuruoka's leading wealthy merchants until around the mid-Edo period
Honma
A wealthy merchant from Sakata Port (Sakata City). The family owned so much land that it was said, "I may not be as good as Lord Homma, but I would at least like to be a lord," and was said to be the largest landowner in Japan at the time. The former main residence of the Homma family is currently preserved and open to the public
The family of Mizuno Tadakuni, a senior councilor of the Edo Shogunate, served as the lord of the Dewa Yamagata domain for approximately 25 years from 1845 to 1870
Mogami
A Sengoku daimyo descended from the Shiba clan of the Seiwa Genji clan. The family was able to inherit the position of Ushu Tandai (Deputy Chief of the Ushu Province) of the Muromachi shogunate, and during the reign of the 11th head of the family, Mogami Yoshiaki, they became a powerful daimyo with 570,000 koku of land in the Yamagata domain. Currently, the surname is relatively common in the Tohoku region along the Sea of Japan, including Aomori, Akita, and Yamagata, as well as in Miyagi Prefecture
A local lord from Murayama County, Dewa Province. He is famous for Yagashiwa Naoie, a vassal of the Mogami clan. During the conflict between the Mogami and Date clans, he served as an emissary for peace, and was present at the meeting between Yoshimitsu and Date Harumune and Terumune
Yanbe
This family name is said to have originated in Yamayamura, Murayama County, Dewa Province (present-day Higashimurayama County). It is said to have spread to western Japan when the family moved to Uwajima, Iyo Province as a vassal of the Date clan. It is common around Zao Town in southern Miyagi Prefecture
Yonezu
A family that served as the feudal lord of Nagatoro Domain (Higashine City) from 1798 to around 1870
Traveling around the Tohoku region, I enjoy drinking delicious sake and exploring the local history, traditions, and customs. I write articles based on my interests. I'm currently interested in folk performing arts, local toys, and folk beliefs.
