Editing Japanese name (section)

===Family names===
The term ''surname'' or ''family name'' can translate into three different Japanese words, ''{{nihongo|myōji|苗字}}'', ''{{nihongo|uji|氏}}'', and ''{{nihongo|sei|姓}}'', which historically had different meanings. ''{{nihongo|Sei|姓}}'' was originally the [[patrilineal]] surname which was granted by the emperor as a title of male rank. In the 8th century, eight types of {{transliteration|ja|sei}} were established, but later all surnames except for ''{{nihongo|ason|朝臣}}''  almost disappeared. ''{{nihongo|Uji|氏}}'' was another name used to designate [[patrilineal]] clan. ''Uji'' and ''Sei'' used in the set: e.g., {{nihongo|Minamoto no Ason|源朝臣}}, {{nihongo|Taira no Ason|平朝臣}}, {{nihongo|Fujiwara no Ason|藤原朝臣}}. ''Uji'' and {{transliteration|ja|sei}} together are called ''{{nihongo|seishi or shōji|姓氏}}'' and also simply {{transliteration|ja|sei}}. There were relatively few {{transliteration|ja|sei}} of the medieval noble clans, and they trace their lineage either directly to these {{transliteration|ja|sei}} or to the courtiers of these {{transliteration|ja|sei}}. {{nihongo|Myōji|苗字}} was simply what a family chooses to call itself, as opposed to the {{transliteration|ja|sei}} granted by the emperor. While it was passed on patrilineally in male ancestors including in male ancestors called {{Transliteration|ja|haku}} (uncles), one had a certain degree of freedom in changing one's {{transliteration|ja|myōji}}. See also {{transliteration|ja|[[kabane]]}}.

According to estimates, there are over 300,000 different surnames in use today in Japan.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://myoji-yurai.net/columnMyojiCount.htm|title=名字由来net｜日本人の名字99%を掲載!! 【年末緊急発表】日本人の名字３０万種は事実か？|website=名字由来net｜日本人の名字99%を掲載!!}}</ref> The three most common family names in Japan are {{nihongo|[[Satō]]|佐藤}}, {{nihongo|[[Suzuki (surname)|Suzuki]]|鈴木}}, and {{nihongo|[[Takahashi]]|高橋}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.japanese-name-translation.com/site/top500_Japanese_family_names.xls|title=Japanese name translations|publisher=Japanese-name-translation.com|format=XLS|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060624175822/http://www.japanese-name-translation.com/site/top500_Japanese_family_names.xls|archive-date=2006-06-24}}</ref> People in Japan began using surnames during the [[Muromachi period]].<ref>https://news.goo.ne.jp/amp/article/postseven/trend/postseven-581287.html {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}</ref> Japanese peasants had surnames in the [[Edo period]]; however, they could not use them in public.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.city.kodaira.tokyo.jp/kurashi/022/022836.html|title=市史編さんこぼれ話No.１８ 「近世の百姓に苗字はあったのか」｜東京都小平市公式ホームページ|website=www.city.kodaira.tokyo.jp}}</ref>

Most surnames are written with two kanji characters, but some common surnames are written with one or three kanji.<ref name="meiji-yasuda">{{cite press release
 | title = 明治安田生命 全国同姓調査 [''Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company - National same family name investigation'']
 | publisher = [[Meiji Yasuda Life|Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company]]
 | date =2008-09-24
 | url =http://www.meijiyasuda.co.jp/profile/news/release/2008/pdf/20080924.pdf
 | access-date = 2012-05-30}}</ref> Some surnames written with four or five kanji exist, such as {{nihongo|Kadenokōji|勘解由小路}}, but these are rare.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://name.sijisuru.com/Columns/longname | title = 日本一長い苗字 [''Japan's Longest Surnames''] | access-date = 2023-10-24}}</ref>

One large category of family names can be categorized as {{transliteration|ja|-tō}} names. The kanji {{lang|ja|藤}}, meaning ''[[wisteria]]'', has the {{transliteration|ja|on'yomi}} {{transliteration|ja|tō}} (or, with {{transliteration|ja|[[rendaku]]}}, {{transliteration|ja|dō}}). Many Japanese people have surnames that include this kanji as the second character. This is because the {{nihongo|[[Fujiwara clan]]|藤原家}} gave their [[samurai]] surnames ({{transliteration|ja|myōji}}) ending with the first character of their name (which can be pronounced either {{transliteration|ja|fuji}} or {{transliteration|ja|tō}}), to denote their status in an era when commoners were not allowed surnames. Examples include Atō, [[Andō]], [[Itō (name)|Itō]] (although a different final kanji is also common), [[Udo (disambiguation)|Udō]], [[Eto|Etō]], [[Endo (surname)|Endō]], [[Goto (name)|Gotō]], Jitō, [[Katō (surname)|Katō]], [[Kitō (surname)|Kitō]], [[Kudo (disambiguation)|Kudō]], [[Kondō]], [[Saito (surname)|Saitō]], [[Satō]], [[Shindō (surname)|Shindō]], Sudō, [[Naito (disambiguation)|Naitō]], Bitō, and [[Muto (disambiguation)|Mutō]]. As already noted, some of the most common family names are in this list.

Japanese family names usually include characters referring to places and geographic features.<ref>Hakes, Molly. ''The Everything Conversational Japanese Book: Basic Instruction For Speaking This Fascinating Language In Any Setting''. [[Everything Books]], 2004. [https://books.google.com/books?id=m2WaRtYHoUoC&dq=%22Japanese+surnames+usually+incorporate+a+place%27&pg=PA120 120]. Retrieved from [[Google Books]] on August 8, 2011. {{ISBN|1-59337-147-0}}, {{ISBN|978-1-59337-147-0}}.</ref>