Matsuo

Matsuo is a Japanese surname and placename. It is written with the kanji 松尾, meaning pine and end or tail, and the name is found across Japan in both personal and geographic contexts.

The best known bearer of the name is Matsuo Bashō (松尾芭蕉), the Edo-period haiku poet active in the 17th century. Born Matsuo Kinsaku in 1644, he adopted Bashō as a poetic name and became one of Japan’s most celebrated haiku masters, renowned for works produced during travels along the coast and countryside, including Oku no Hosomichi.

In geography, Matsuo appears in numerous place names, including neighborhoods, towns, and districts. Because it is a common element in toponymy, disambiguation often requires additional identifiers such as a prefecture, city, or region.

Matsuo also appears as a surname among contemporary figures in arts, science, sports, and public life. Like many Japanese surnames, its distribution reflects historical family lineages and regional naming patterns.