2000
#120,330
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 133
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Yakle
A surname possibly derived from a place name or occupation of unknown origin.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Yakle. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Yakle 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Yakle in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Yakle, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.3%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Yakle
The surname Yakle has its origins in Central Europe, particularly in the regions that today comprise Germany and Switzerland. Its earliest documented usage dates back to the late Medieval period, around the 14th and 15th centuries. The name is believed to be a variation of the German surname Jäkel, which itself is derived from the given name Jakob, a cognate of the Hebrew name Yaakov, meaning "supplanter" or "one who follows."
In historical documents, the surname Yakle appears in various forms such as Jakel, Jaeckel, and Yakel. These variations are often attributed to regional dialects and spelling conventions of the time. One of the earliest references to the name can be found in a German manuscript dating back to 1450, where a Heinrich Jakel is mentioned as a landowner in the Swabian region.
Another significant figure in the history of the surname is Hans Jaeckel, born circa 1521 and died in 1598, a notable merchant in Nuremberg. His trading activities are well-documented in the annals of the city, indicating the economic influence of individuals carrying this surname during that period.
Moving forward into the 17th century, the name Yakle appeared in Swiss records, particularly in the canton of Zurich. Ulrich Yakel, born in 1643 and died in 1709, was a prominent figure in the local guild of blacksmiths. His contributions to the craft have been preserved in the guild’s extensive records, showcasing the expertise and reputation of the Yakle family in metalworking.
The migration of surname bearers from Europe to the Americas during the 18th and 19th centuries further diversified its spelling. Johann Yakle, born in 1765 and died in 1832, emigrated from Bavaria to Pennsylvania, where he is recorded in land grants and census data. His descendants played a significant role in the early industrial development of the state.
One of the most illustrious individuals with this surname in the 20th century was Friedrich Yakel, born in 1894 and died in 1967, a respected German botanist and academic. His research in plant physiology earned him accolades and positions at several prestigious European universities, cementing the Yakle name in scientific literature.
These historical figures and events highlight the rich and varied heritage of the surname Yakle, from its medieval roots to its modern-day legacy in various professional fields. Its evolution and persistence through centuries reflect the mobility and adaptability of those who bore the name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Yakle
Among Census respondents with the surname Yakle, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.3%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Yakle 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 Yakle surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.8% · 109
- Two or more races8.3% · 10
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Yakle
Yakle 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
#121,590
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 142
+9 bearers (+6.8%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 1,260 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
-22 bearers (-15.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 20,459 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #120,330 | 133 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #121,590 | 142 | 0.05 | +9 bearers (+6.8%) | Down 1,260 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | -22 bearers (-15.5%) | Down 20,459 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 Yakle 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 | #121,590 | #142,049 | -16.8% |
| Count | 142 | 120 | -15.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -19.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Yakle bearers went from 142 to 120 (-15.5% change). The surname moved down 20,459 positions in the national ranking, going from #121,590 to #142,049.
FAQ
Yakle surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Yakle?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Yakle. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Yakle?
Yakle ranks #142,049 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 120 people with the surname Yakle. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), 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 Yakle.
Has Yakle become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Yakle went from 142 recorded bearers to 120. That is a decrease of 22 (-15.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #121,590 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Yakle?
Among Census respondents with the surname Yakle, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.3%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.8%). 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 Yakle in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.8% (109 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Yakle appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.8%), Two or More Races (8.3%), American Indian/Alaska Native (0.8%). 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 Yakle (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 Yakle mean?
A surname possibly derived from a place name or occupation of unknown origin. 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 Yakle (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 have the surname Yakle?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.