Find out how popular the last name Yackee is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Yackee.

Yackee, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Yackee surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yackee in America

Yackee is the 138304th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yackee surname appeared 121 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Yackee.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yackee to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Yackee

The surname Yackee is believed to originate from the areas of Eastern and Central Europe, specifically from regions that now comprise present-day Germany and Poland. It likely emerged during the medieval period, although precise dates are hard to pin down due to the migration and fluidity of borders in this region.

The name is thought to derive from the German word "Jacke," meaning a kind of jacket or coat, indicating that it may have originally been an occupational surname for someone who made or sold such garments. Additionally, it might have connections to the Slavic word "Jaka," meaning strong or robust, suggesting a descriptor nickname.

One of the earliest appearances of a similar name can be found in historical records such as the Bürgerbücher (citizens' books) of medieval German towns. A variant spelling, "Jakke," is recorded in the late 13th century in Cologne, a significant trade and cultural center at that time. This reflects the name's integration into the local populace and suggests some level of social standing or reputation.

In the late 14th century, a Hans Yacke is noted in the city records of Leipzig, which was an important commercial hub in the Holy Roman Empire. Hans's involvement in trade may have contributed to the dissemination of the name across various regions through mercantile activities.

Moving forward to the 16th century, the name appears to have migrated eastwards. A record from 1532 mentions a Waldemar Yackee in the region of Poznan, then part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Waldemar was a noted figure in local administration, indicating that the Yackee family had established itself firmly in this region by this period.

Another significant figure with this surname was Nikolaus Yacke, born in Gdansk in 1594. Nikolaus was a prominent merchant whose activities spanned the Baltic Sea, contributing to the prosperity of the Hanseatic League during its decline. His name appears frequently in trade documents and correspondences from the early 17th century.

In the 18th century, the Yackee name continued to be prominent, especially in regions experiencing political and economic changes. An important historical figure was Johann Yackee, born in 1721 in Königsberg (modern-day Kaliningrad). Johann was a noted scholar and contributed significantly to early Enlightenment intellectual circles. His works are referenced in various academic manuscripts of the period.

By the 19th century, the surname had made its way across the Atlantic, following the waves of German and Polish immigration to the United States. One of the earliest records in the U.S. is of Emil Yackee, who settled in New York in 1837. Emil worked in the burgeoning textile industry, which aligns with the occupational origins of the name.

The Yackee surname has thus a rich and diverse heritage, evolving from occupational roots in medieval Europe to becoming part of the fabric of multiple societies and cultures.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yackee

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Yackee.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Yackee was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Yackee has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Yackee was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Yackee, please contact us.

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