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

Yakes, 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 Yakes surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yakes in America

Yakes is the 62359th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yakes surname appeared 321 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 Yakes.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yakes 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 Yakes

The surname Yakes traces its origins to Northern Europe, with strong ties to the Netherlands and Germany. The name likely emerged around the late medieval period, approximately the 14th or 15th century. This was a time when surnames became more formalized for tax and land purposes. The name may have several points of origin and might be derived from the Dutch or Low German surname Jakes, which in turn relates to the given name Jacob or Jakob.

In old manuscripts and historical records, Yakes appears in various spellings such as Jakes, Yackes, and even the Germanic Jaques. This diversity in spelling reflects the phonetic variations encountered over time and regions. Historical documents from the Netherlands mention the name in tax records and church registers dating back to the early 16th century. One notable mention is found in the archives of Leiden, where a Pieter Yakes was listed in a 1534 religious registry.

The earliest recorded examples of the name Yakes can be traced back to the 15th century in both German and Dutch territories. A well-documented reference to a Maartin Yakes, a merchant from Utrecht born around 1480, is a significant historical instance of the surname. His economic activities are recorded in trade documents between 1505 and 1520.

In place names, there is a reference to Yakeswijk, a small settlement recorded in 16th-century Flanders. Although the settlement no longer exists today, it provides evidence of the spread and localization of the surname.

Throughout history, various individuals carried the Yakes surname. For instance, Johan Yakes, a scholar and theologian born in 1625 in Hamburg, Germany, made significant contributions to religious debates of his time. Another figure, Clara Yakes, an artist born in Amsterdam in 1689, is notable for her work in the Baroque painting style, documented in the city's art guild records.

In the 18th century, a Magnus Yakes, born in 1710 in Bremen, Germany, is noted for his service as a naval officer. His exploits in the Seven Years' War were recorded in military annals and personal diaries of the period. Another notable figure is Frederick Yakes, an inventor from Hanover born in 1768, who contributed to early industrial machinery and held several patents in the metallurgical field.

Lastly, in the early 19th century, William Yakes, born 1795 in Rotterdam, is known for his involvement in colonial administration. His extensive letters and reports from the Dutch East Indies provide insightful accounts of life during the colonial era. The legacy of these individuals underscores the widespread geographical distribution and varied impacts of the Yakes surname through history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yakes

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

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 Yakes 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 Yakes 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 Yakes was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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