Family name origins & meanings
- Japanese : variously written, with characters meaning ‘mountain shape’ or ‘mountain district’. Bearers of the first are descendants of the Shiba branch of the Minamoto clan, and took the name from a village in Uzen (now Yamagata prefecture). Bearers of the second are of the Tada branch of the same clan, and took their name from a district in Mino (now Gifu prefecture).