Surname Goto - Meaning and Origin
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Goto: What does the surname Goto mean?
The last name Goto is of Japanese origin. It comes from the Japanese goto which roughly translates as “a thing,” “road” or “way.” This could refer to either a physical route or a concept.
In the past, families with the last name Goto would typically be members of the samurai class, traders or merchants. Even in modern times, the name can often refer to a person's ability and passion for the pursuit of knowledge.
It is believed that some members of the Goto family moved to other regions of Japan and to other parts of the world. While the modern spelling of the last name may have changed, many of the members of the family would have maintained their traditional origin and culture.
The last name Goto is associated with strong moral values and an overall work ethic. People with the last name Goto have a strong sense of justice and are known for being honest and hardworking.
The name Goto also carries a strong sense of honor and loyalty. People of this last name often value loyalty to family and friends above all else and tend to put the needs of others before their own. They also often have an innate sense of hospitality and often welcomed strangers into their homes.
Overall, the last name Goto is associated with qualities such as hard work, honor, loyalty, and fairness. It is a last name that carries a deep history and strong cultural values with it.
Order DNA origin analysisGoto: Where does the name Goto come from?
The last name Goto is most prevalent in Japan, as it is a Japanese surname. Outside of Japan, the Goto surname is relatively uncommon. According to WorldNames PublicProfiler, from their studies of publicly available data, Goto is the 8,245th most common family name in the world and the 16th most common name in Japan.
A handful of people who carry the Goto surname likely live in the United States, Canada, Australia, and other countries with sizable Japanese populations. Most of the Goto families living outside of their native Japan are likely descendants of Japanese immigrants.
The Goto surname likely originated as a toponymic name from the region of Gotou in Iwate prefecture, where historians believe the Goto family first developed. The region of Gotou is particularly famous for its production of sake, and it is even known by the nickname “Sake No Machi” or “Sake Town.” The family crest of the Goto is a camellia flower, which is also the official flower of Iwate prefecture.
Variations of the surname Goto
The surname Goto (後藤, also written as 後藸) has numerous variants and spellings, and is commonly used as a surname in Japan today. Variants of Goto include the following:
Gouto (五島): This can be written as 後藤, 後藸, 五島, or ごとう. The kanji 五島 is composed of the characters meaning "five" and "island," and may originally have been an occupational surname for islanders.
Kato (加藤): This is a commonly used variant of Goto, pronounced similarly but written with different kanji. The kanji 加藤 is composed of the characters meaning "add" and "wisteria."
Gotozaki (後藤崎): Gotozaki is another variant of Goto with kanji meaning "behind" and "cape," and was likely originally a surname identifying those who lived near a cape.
Haga (芳賀): Haga is a higher abandoned spelling and means "aromatic plant."
Hayashi (林): Hayashi is a common surname meaning "forest" and is pronounced the same as Goto.
Goudo (郷土): Goudo is simply "home" written in kanji.
Goudoji (郷土路): Goudoji is composed of the characters meaning "home" and "road" and was likely an occupational surname for those who worked on roads near home.
Takagi (高木): Takagi's kanji mean "high" and "tree," and it was likely an occupational surname for lumber workers.
Kasuga (春日): Kasuga is a variant of Goto, written with the characters meaning "spring" and "sun."
Kurosawa (黒澤): Kurosawa's kanji mean "black" and "marsh," and the surname was likely an occupational one for those who lived or worked in marshy areas.
As you can see, there are numerous variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin as Goto. While all of them stem from the kanji 後藤, they each have changed and evolved over the centuries into unique surnames.
Famous people with the name Goto
- Tsuyoshi Goto, Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist.
- Masafumi Goto, Japanese singer-songwriter.
- Makoto Goto, Japanese actor and voice actor.
- Yasuaki Goto, Japanese former footballer.
- Hideo Goto, Japanese professional shogi player.
- Takashi Goto, Japanese professional footballer.
- Masaru Goto, Japanese oil painter.
- Yoichi Goto, Japanese multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and producer.
- Takeru Goto, Japanese competitive shogi player.
- Issei Goto, Japanese manga artist.
- Toru Goto, Japanese professional football player.
- Ryōtarō Goto, Japanese professional shogi player.
- Yoichi Goto, Japanese musician.
- Sakiko Goto, Japanese actress.
- Shuhei Goto, Japanese professional shogi player.
- Ryo Goto, Japanese professional shogi player.
- Hideki Goto, Japanese professional shogi player.
- Manabu Goto, Japanese actor and comedian.