SurnameNo. 5 in Japan
Watanabe
Watanabe (渡辺) is the 5th most common surname in Japan, shared by an estimated 1.20 million people. Its kanji mean to cross + side.
わ · た · な · べ · わたなべ
What Watanabe means
渡
to cross
辺
side, area
Where the name comes from
The kanji of Watanabe mean to cross + side. Many surnames like it began as descriptions of a family's land, trade or position before surnames were required for every household in 1875.