Meaning: 大和n. (Hira=やまと, Kata=ヤマト) Yamato, name of several cities and towns in Japan; name of dominant people of ancient Japan; former province of Japan which is the modern day Nara prefecture; era in Japan (known also as the Kofun period); Japanese family namen. (Hira=おおわ,やまと, Kata=オオワ,ヤマト) Ohwa, Yamato, Japanese family name