Cultures / Japanese Names / Nishimura
西村

Nishimura

西村 — West Village

320,000
Population
#40
Country Rank
0.26%
of Population
Japanese Names
Culture

Origin & History

Nishimura means 'west village' (西村) and is a topographic surname for families in the western part of a settlement or western-facing village. Directional village names (east, west, north, south) were common ways of distinguishing neighboring communities in Japan. The surname is associated with the scholar Nishimura Shigeki, a prominent Meiji-era educator. It is most prevalent in Osaka, Hyogo, and Aichi prefectures.