Moromisato Family History & Genealogy

Summary

Moromisato is the official Japanized surname assigned to Okinawan immigrants in 1900. It was changed from the 1869 Japanized surname Moromizato. Moromisato is also the name of a town in Okinawa.

History

In 1869 Okinawa was annexed by Japan after the 1609 conquest of the Ryukyu Kingdom by the Satsuma Clan of Kyushu. The Okinawan language (Uchinaaguchi) is derived from the ancient language of the indigenous Jomon people of Japan. Okinawan surnames weren't compatible with the foreign written Japanese language called Nihongo, so Okinawan surnames were changed into Japanese words. Moromisato is a Japanized Okinawan surname.

Name Origin

The literal Japanese translation of Moromisato is "fermentation process sugar." The original Okinawan surname prior to the 1869 annexation of Okinawa was Murunzatu, meaning field or pasture. The syllabic ending "tu" does not exist in the Japanese language (ta, tchi, tsu, te, to) so "tu" became "to." The Uchinaaguchi word Murun was changed to the similar sounding Japanese word Moromi.

Spellings & Pronunciations

Moromizato

Nationality & Ethnicity

The Moromisato surname originated in Japan as a surname for the ethnic Okinawan Murunzatu families.

Famous People named Moromisato

The Moromisato are one of several Okinawan clans cited in the the development of the martial art Okinawa te (Karate).

Early Moromisatos

These are the earliest records we have of the Moromisato family.