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

Yankauskas, 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 Yankauskas surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yankauskas in America

Yankauskas is the 95115th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yankauskas surname appeared 192 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 Yankauskas.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yankauskas 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 Yankauskas

The surname Yankauskas finds its roots in Lithuania, an Eastern European country with a rich history of shifting borders and cultural influences. Lithuania during the medieval period saw the fusion of various ethnic groups and languages, which heavily influenced the development of family names. The surname Yankauskas is likely derived from the Lithuanian given name Jankus, which itself is a diminutive form of the name Jonas, Lithuanian for John. The suffix -auskas is a patronymic addition frequently used in Lithuanian surnames, indicating the meaning "son of Jankus."

Historical references to the name Yankauskas can be traced back to Lithuanian records from the 18th and 19th centuries, a period marked by Lithuania's inclusion in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and its subsequent annexation into the Russian Empire. One such early mention is from an 1812 parish record from the Kaunas region that lists a Petras Yankauskas as a landowner. This provides a solid historical anchor, as Kaunas was a significant cultural and economic hub in Lithuania.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname dates back to the mid-19th century, with a mention of Vincas Yankauskas, born in 1845 in Vilnius. Vincas was known for his contributions to local agricultural movements and his involvement in the January Uprising of 1863 against Russian rule.

In the realm of Lithuanian literature and folklore, the name Yankauskas appears frequently, representing a lineage often connected with rural and agricultural settings. During the interwar period, between World War I and World War II, the name continued to gain prominence. For instance, Antanas Yankauskas, born in 1892, was a prominent figure in Lithuania’s push for independence; he was a member of the Seimas, Lithuania’s parliament, and played a significant role in drafting the country's early legislative framework.

Another notable individual is Jonas Yankauskas, born in 1912, who became a well-respected physician in Kaunas. His contributions were vital during the Soviet occupation of Lithuania, where he worked tirelessly under challenging circumstances to provide healthcare services, especially during the tumultuous years of World War II.

Moving into the 20th century, the Yankauskas surname saw his bearers migrate to other parts of the world, particularly to the United States, as part of the Lithuanian diaspora fleeing Soviet oppression. One such emigrant was Aleksas Yankauskas, born in 1928, who settled in Chicago and became an influential member of the Lithuanian-American community. He significantly contributed to the preservation of Lithuanian culture and language overseas, establishing several cultural institutions and participating actively in Lithuanian independence movements abroad.

The surname Yankauskas is steeped in Lithuanian history, with its bearers frequently contributing to significant cultural, political, and social movements, both within Lithuania and in the broader global context. Over the centuries, the name has reflected a strong connection to Lithuanian heritage and the resilience of its people throughout periods of occupation and change.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yankauskas

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!