Yamada
A common Japanese surname meaning “mountain rice paddy.”
The #7,461 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 69,117 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Yamada is a Japanese surname built from yama, meaning “mountain,” and ta/da, meaning “rice paddy” or “field.” Taken literally, it refers to a place characterized by a mountain-side or mountainous paddy field. Like many Japanese surnames, it likely began as a geographical label for families living near or in such a landscape.
History
Yamada is one of the most familiar surnames in Japan and appears widely across the country. It also became more visible overseas through Japanese migration, especially in the United States and Brazil. Because it is a common place-based surname, it is not tied to a single noble lineage or one particular family branch.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The name is made from two everyday landscape words, so its meaning is transparent even to non-specialists in Japanese.