2000
#138,741
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Yakish
A surname likely of Ashkenazic Jewish origin, perhaps a variant spelling of a locational name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Yakish. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Yakish 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Yakish in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Yakish, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Yakish
The surname Yakish likely finds its origins in Eastern Europe, with particular concentration in areas that are now part of modern-day Ukraine, Poland, and Russia. Historical linguistics suggest that Yakish may be derived from a Slavic root, possibly linked to the name Yakov or its variations, which is a Slavic form of the Hebrew name Jacob, meaning supplanter or holder of the heel. The suffix -ish could denote familial relation or a diminutive form, indicating "son of Yakov" or "little Yakov."
The surname Yakish appears in regional records as early as the 16th century. In the territories comprising the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, names bearing the root Yakov or Yake were quite prevalent. Families bearing this surname often resided in regions with significant linguistic and cultural Polish-Ukrainian overlap, such as Galicia and Volhynia.
One of the earliest documented instances of the surname Yakish can be traced back to a land record from 1583 in the province of Volhynia, listing a certain Michal Yakish as a landowner. This record provides valuable insight into the socioeconomic status and mobility of individuals with the surname during that time.
Historical records from the 17th and 18th centuries frequently mention individuals named Yakish. Notably, Ivan Yakish (1602-1670), a merchant in the bustling trade city of Lviv, contributed significantly to the regional economy. His business dealings extended into the broader Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, highlighting the name's prominence beyond provincial borders.
During the 19th century, the surname Yakish can be found in records related to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, reflecting the shifting geopolitical landscape of Eastern Europe. Among notable individuals, Aleksander Yakish (1798-1867), a composer from Kraków, gained recognition in musical circles, further solidifying the cultural presence of the name Yakish.
In addition to its presence in Eastern Europe, emigration during the early 20th century brought the surname to the United States. For instance, Nicholas Yakish (1889-1945), who emigrated from Ukraine, became a respected figure in immigrant communities in New York, advocating for the rights and integration of Eastern European immigrants.
While the surname Yakish may not be among the most common, it carries a rich history intertwined with the diverse and turbulent history of Eastern Europe. Each recorded bearer of the name contributes to the intricate tapestry of its legacy, reflecting various aspects of cultural, socioeconomic, and historical significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Yakish
Among Census respondents with the surname Yakish, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Yakish 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 Yakish surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.8% · 106
- Two or more races2.7% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Yakish
Yakish 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
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-7 bearers (-6.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 17,303 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+9 bearers (+8.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 8,823 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #138,741 | 111 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | -7 bearers (-6.3%) | Down 17,303 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.7%) | Up 8,823 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 Yakish 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 | #156,044 | #147,221 | 5.7% |
| Count | 104 | 113 | 8.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Yakish bearers went from 104 to 113 (+8.7% change). The surname moved up 8,823 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #147,221.
FAQ
Yakish surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Yakish?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Yakish. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Yakish?
Yakish ranks #147,221 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 113 people with the surname Yakish. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Yakish.
Has Yakish become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Yakish went from 104 recorded bearers to 113. That is an increase of 9 (+8.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Yakish?
Among Census respondents with the surname Yakish, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). 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 Yakish in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.8% (106 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Yakish appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.8%), Two or More Races (2.7%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). 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 Yakish (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 Yakish mean?
A surname likely of Ashkenazic Jewish origin, perhaps a variant spelling of a locational name. 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 Yakish (0.04 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 many people are called Yakish?
You can see how many people have the last name Yakish on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.