Kimura in Kanji

Explanation of Kimura’s Origin

Multiple theories exist regarding the origin of the name “Kimura,” including:
– Deriving from a place name meaning “village where trees grow thickly”
– Being related to the historically known Ashikaga clan branch Kimura family of Tochigi City, Tochigi Prefecture, through blood ties or local connections
– Possibly originating from the ancient noble clan Kii, who adopted the surname Ki

Place Name Origin Theory

The most widely accepted theory is that it means “village with many trees,” originating from the presence of large, dense trees near the settlement.
This name suggests that many place names derive from old villages (honmura or motomura).

Historical Background Theories

Kimura Clan of the Fuji-surnamed Ashikaga Lineage:
This is a branch of the Ashikaga clan, descended from the Fujiwara no Hidesato lineage of the Northern Fujiwara family, which had its base in Kimura, Tsuga District, Shimotsuke Province (present-day Tochigi City, Tochigi Prefecture). Kimura Jirozaemon, who appears in the early Muromachi period chronicle Taiheiki, is said to belong to this clan.
The Kimura clan descended from the Kii clan:
There is also a theory that the ancient powerful clan, the Kii (木) clan, used the name “Kii” (木氏) at one point. Their place of residence became known as ‘Kimura’ (木村), and from there, they began to use the name “Kimura”.

Ranking of Japanese American surnames (U.S. Census Bureau, 1990 Survey)

Kimura ranks 7th in this ranking.