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

Yankey, 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 Yankey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yankey in America

Yankey is the 30630th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yankey surname appeared 761 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 Yankey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yankey 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 Yankey

The surname Yankey is believed to have its origins in Europe, most likely within the regions that now encompass Germany and Austria around the 16th century. The name's etymological roots are somewhat obscure, though it is commonly conjectured to be derived from a variation of the given name Johann combined with a diminutive suffix, which was a common practice in Germanic naming traditions. This practice often resulted in surnames crafted for identification purposes within local communities.

Historically, the surname Yankey appears in several early records and manuscripts. One of the earliest references can be traced back to a legal document from the Württemberg region in 1582, wherein a Hans Yankey was mentioned as a property owner. This suggests that bearers of the surname held some social standing during this period.

The name Yankey also has possible links to the Dutch name Janneke or Yankee, used as diminutives for the name Jan or Johannes, suggesting a potential cross-cultural assimilation or migration that influenced the surname's formation. In historical documents, these connections provide clues to its evolution over time.

By the 18th century, the Yankey name made an appearance in colonial America, particularly with the immigration waves from Europe. One notable individual was Johann Matthias Yankey (1702-1775), who emigrated from Germany to Pennsylvania and became an early settler, documented in land records from 1735.

The name also surfaces in military records from the American Revolution. One soldier named William Yankey, born in 1750, served in the Continental Army and was noted for his participation in the Battle of Brandywine in 1777.

Shifting focus to the 19th century, the surname Yankey can be found within the emergent communities of the expanding United States. In Virginia, records from 1820 mention a farmer named Daniel Yankey, who contributed to the agricultural development of the Shenandoah Valley, reflecting the migration of the name and its bearers within North America.

Jane Maria Yankey (1834-1892), a significant figure in the history of Yankey, is remembered for her philanthropic endeavors in education and healthcare within the burgeoning towns of the Midwest, highlighting the name's spread and influence beyond its European origins.

Finally, Philip Yankey (1845-1910) of Irish descent, although slightly deviating from the surname's more documented Germanic roots, serves as an example of how variations of the name continued to proliferate, especially with Irish immigrants moving further westward during the late 19th century.

The surname Yankey, with its rich and diverse historical background, exemplifies the complex tapestry of migration, linguistic evolution, and cultural amalgamation that defines many surnames today. Its appearances in various historical documents and the noteworthiness of its bearers over centuries affirm its longstanding presence and significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yankey

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

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

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

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