This ennobled Japanese surname is recorded in the 1888 Tokio register of the Ancient families of Japan. It is associated with the House of Fudai-Daimyo', through the tribe or clan Matsudaira, and originated from the Province of Dewa. Like the majority of Japanese surnames its form is both compound and ornamental, being based upon a semi-mythical topographical description with some religious undertones. The translation of the name is literally Divine, from "kami", plus "yama", mountain; hence, "Divine Mountain", which probably relates to the early worship of Fujiyama, the sacred mountain of the gods. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of which was dated The Japanese system of establishing wealth was based upon the Koku, a measure of rice, one Koku being equivalent to 180 litres or forty gallons. In the year 1600, the wealth of the Kamiyama family was calculated at 30,000 Koku, which may be described as "wealthy". It is known that the family were ennobled at about the same year, the Coat of Arms being a stylised three petal lily around a centre stem in white, all in a red border. during the reign of The first known recording of the name was at Dewa, in 1697, in the Tyeyasu Dynasty, 1600 - 1868. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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