2000
#130,443
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Jeys
A variant spelling of the English surname "Jeyes", referring to those who dwelled near a yew tree.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 117 Americans carry the last name Jeys. That puts it at #154,755 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,929,524 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Jeys surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
117
1 in 2,929,524
Census rank
#154,755
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
102
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 102 bearers of the surname Jeys in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154755th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Jeys, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (15.7%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Jeys
The surname JEYS is believed to have originated in France during the medieval period. It likely derived from the Old French word "joyeux," meaning joyful or merry, which in turn came from the Latin word "gaudiosus." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone with a cheerful or jovial demeanor.
The earliest known record of the JEYS surname dates back to the 13th century in the northern regions of France. It appears in various medieval documents and records, often with slight variations in spelling, such as "Jeys," "Jeyes," or "Jeyes." These variations were common during that time due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.
One notable historical reference to the JEYS name can be found in the Navarre Census of 1366, which recorded a certain "Jehan Jeys" residing in the village of Basse-Navarre. This suggests that the name had already established itself in the region by the 14th century.
In the 15th century, the surname JEYS appeared in the records of the city of Rouen, Normandy. A merchant named Guillaume JEYS (born circa 1420) was documented as a member of the local guild of cloth traders. His son, Jean JEYS (1465-1532), followed in his footsteps and became a prominent figure in the textile industry of the region.
Moving into the 16th century, the JEYS name gained recognition in the literary world. Michel JEYS (1510-1572), a renowned poet and playwright from Paris, was celebrated for his satirical works that criticized the excesses of the French nobility. His plays were performed at the court of King Henri II and gained widespread popularity.
In the 17th century, the JEYS surname spread beyond France and can be found in various records across Europe. One notable figure was Pieter JEYS (1634-1699), a Dutch artist renowned for his landscape paintings and etchings of rural scenes. His works were highly sought after by wealthy patrons and can be found in several prestigious art collections.
As the JEYS name continued to disperse throughout the centuries, it appeared in various regions and contexts. For instance, in the 18th century, there was a prominent family of JEYS vintners in the Burgundy region of France, known for producing exceptional wines that were exported across Europe.
Throughout history, the JEYS surname has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, ranging from merchants and artists to writers and winemakers. While the name may have originated as a nickname, it has evolved into a distinct surname with a rich historical legacy spanning multiple centuries and regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Jeys
Among Census respondents with the surname Jeys, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (15.7%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Jeys bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Jeys surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White78.4% · 80
- Hispanic or Latino15.7% · 16
- Two or more races3.9% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Jeys
Jeys appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#137,327
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
+2 bearers (+1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,884 places
2020
#154,755
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
-20 bearers (-16.4%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 17,428 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #130,443 | 120 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #137,327 | 122 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.7%) | Down 6,884 places |
| 2020 | #154,755 | 102 | 0.03 | -20 bearers (-16.4%) | Down 17,428 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Jeys surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #137,327 | #154,755 | -12.7% |
| Count | 122 | 102 | -16.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -14.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Jeys bearers went from 122 to 102 (-16.4% change). The surname moved down 17,428 positions in the national ranking, going from #137,327 to #154,755.
FAQ
Jeys surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Jeys?
Name Census estimates that about 117 living Americans carry the surname Jeys. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,929,524 residents.
How common is Jeys?
Jeys ranks #154,755 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 102 people with the surname Jeys. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (117), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Jeys.
Has Jeys become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Jeys went from 122 recorded bearers to 102. That is a decrease of 20 (-16.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #137,327 to #154,755.
What does the Census say about the background of Jeys?
Among Census respondents with the surname Jeys, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (15.7%) and Two or More Races (3.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Jeys in the 2020 Census, accounting for 78.4% (80 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Jeys appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (78.4%), Hispanic (15.7%), Two or More Races (3.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Jeys (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Jeys mean?
A variant spelling of the English surname "Jeyes", referring to those who dwelled near a yew tree. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Jeys (0.03 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Jeys?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people are called Jeys at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.