2000
#132,259
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Yana
The surname Yana originated as a Turkish place name referring to a village or town.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 140 Americans carry the last name Yana. That puts it at #140,525 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,448,245 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Yana 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
140
1 in 2,448,245
Census rank
#140,525
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
122
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 122 bearers of the surname Yana in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 140525th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Yana, the largest self-reported group is White at 57.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (32.8%) and Hispanic (5.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Yana
The surname Yana is believed to have its origins in Japan, where it is relatively rare. The etymology of Yana can be traced back to the ancient Japanese characters, where "ya" means "valley" and "na" means "vegetable" or "greens." The history of the name suggests a connection to agricultural landscapes, likely signifying families that lived near fertile valleys rich in vegetation. The origin of the name points to rural areas where agriculture would have been a way of life.
One of the earliest records of the surname Yana can be found in the 8th-century Japanese chronicles. The ancient text known as the Nihon Shoki or "Chronicles of Japan" contains references to families and clans tied to specific geographical features, including valleys and farming communities. The name Yana appeared within this context, indicating association with such locations. An old alternative spelling that has occasionally appeared in historical documents is Yanagawa, combining "Yana" and "gawa," the latter meaning "river," which further emphasizes the geographic relevance of the surname.
Historical references to the surname Yana are sparse in European manuscripts, as the name is primarily Japanese. Nonetheless, records from the Edo period (1603-1868) show its presence among samurai families and local nobility. These references are crucial as they highlight the social standing of individuals bearing the surname Yana, elevating it from being merely agricultural to one associated with military and governance roles in local regions.
One notable individual bearing the surname was Yana Yasumasa (1868-1948), a renowned Japanese botanist known for his significant contributions to plant taxonomy. His works are frequently cited in academic literature, underscoring the importance of the Yana surname in the realm of scientific advancements. Another example is Yana Motohiro, a feudal lord during the early 17th century, known for his role in local governance and agricultural reform in his domain.
Additionally, Yana Hiroshi (1753-1829), a well-known artist from the Edo period, made significant strides in traditional Japanese ink painting. He was an instrumental figure in the Bunjinga movement, where his works remain celebrated in Japanese art history. Yana Katsuyo (1902-1965) was a pioneer in Japanese education reform, advocating for broader and more inclusive education policies in the Taisho and early Showa periods. Lastly, Yana Takashi (1834-1901) was a key figure in the Meiji Restoration, contributing to Japan's rapid modernization and the ushering in of the Meiji Era.
The surname Yana, while rooted deeply in ancient Japanese agrarian society, has extended its significance through various noteworthy individuals across history. From contributions in botany and art to governance and education, bearers of this surname have marked their presence across multiple realms, ensuring that the name Yana continues to be associated with diverse and impactful legacies through the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Yana
Among Census respondents with the surname Yana, the largest self-reported group is White at 57.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (32.8%) and Hispanic (5.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Yana 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 Yana surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White57.4% · 70
- Asian and Pacific Islander32.8% · 40
- Hispanic or Latino5.7% · 7
- Black or African American3.3% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Yana
Yana 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
#127,494
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 134
+16 bearers (+13.6%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 4,765 places
2020
#140,525
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
-12 bearers (-9.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 13,031 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #132,259 | 118 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #127,494 | 134 | 0.05 | +16 bearers (+13.6%) | Up 4,765 places |
| 2020 | #140,525 | 122 | 0.04 | -12 bearers (-9.0%) | Down 13,031 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 Yana 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 | #127,494 | #140,525 | -10.2% |
| Count | 134 | 122 | -9.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -18.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Yana bearers went from 134 to 122 (-9.0% change). The surname moved down 13,031 positions in the national ranking, going from #127,494 to #140,525.
FAQ
Yana surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Yana?
Name Census estimates that about 140 living Americans carry the surname Yana. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,448,245 residents.
How common is Yana?
Yana ranks #140,525 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 122 people with the surname Yana. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (140), 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 Yana.
Has Yana become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Yana went from 134 recorded bearers to 122. That is a decrease of 12 (-9.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #127,494 to #140,525.
What does the Census say about the background of Yana?
Among Census respondents with the surname Yana, the largest self-reported group is White at 57.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (32.8%) and Hispanic (5.7%). 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 Yana in the 2020 Census, accounting for 57.4% (70 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Yana appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (57.4%), Asian/Pacific Islander (32.8%), Hispanic (5.7%). 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 Yana (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 Yana mean?
The surname Yana originated as a Turkish place name referring to a village or town. 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 Yana (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 common is the surname Yana?
Want to know how common the surname Yana is? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.