Nitta

Nitta, written with the kanji 新田, is a Japanese surname and toponym. The characters literally mean “new field,” and the name appears in many personal names as well as in place names across Japan. It is borne by numerous individuals, both historical and modern, and is encountered in various regions.

The Nitta clan (新田氏) was a medieval samurai lineage associated with the Kantō region. Members held local power and played roles in the balance of power during late Heian and Kamakura periods. The best-known member is Nitta Yoshisada, a 14th-century samurai who supported Emperor Go‑Daigo and contributed to the overthrow of the Kamakura shogunate. After the Muromachi period, the clan’s political influence declined, though the Nitta name persisted in families and locales throughout Japan.

Geographically, Nitta appears in several place names, including districts and former municipalities. In modern administration, many places once bearing the name have been merged into larger cities or towns, but the toponym remains part of local geography and street names in some areas.

In contemporary usage, Nitta continues to be a common surname and can be found in biographies, academic works, and public life. It also appears in fiction and media as a family name for characters. Overall, Nitta reflects a long-standing pattern in Japanese naming that links a common noun with personal and geographic identities, preserving a historical presence in both past and present contexts.