Last name origin & meaning: Japanese: variously written, with Chinese characters used
phonetically. Listed in the Shinsen shōjiroku, the Abe claim
descent from Ōhiko, first son of the mythical Emperor
Kōgen. There are several places in Japan named Abe, which means
‘sun festival’ in the Ainu language. Some Ainu connections may be
assumed, but the name could also be purely habitational. It is found
mostly in northeastern Japan, the island of Kyūshū, and the
Ryūkyū Islands.
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