Sengoku (surname)

The surname Sengoku (戦国) is a Japanese surname. It is most commonly associated with figures and families who rose to prominence during the Sengoku period (roughly 1467-1615), a time of near-constant civil war and social upheaval in Japan.

The meaning of "Sengoku" literally translates to "Warring States." While not all individuals with the Sengoku surname directly descend from prominent daimyo (feudal lords) or samurai of that era, the name itself evokes the historical context and values associated with that turbulent period.

Distribution of the Sengoku surname in modern Japan is not particularly concentrated in any one region, suggesting a dispersal of families following the end of the Sengoku period and the establishment of the Edo shogunate. While detailed statistical data on surname prevalence is not publicly available, it is considered a relatively uncommon surname compared to more widespread names like Tanaka or Suzuki.

Individuals bearing the Sengoku surname today are generally not directly connected to any specific historical events or lineages from the Sengoku period without genealogical research to support such claims. The name, however, serves as a reminder of a significant era in Japanese history.