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

Yankowsky, 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 Yankowsky surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yankowsky in America

Yankowsky is the 127494th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yankowsky surname appeared 134 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 Yankowsky.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yankowsky 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 Yankowsky

The surname Yankowsky has its origins in Eastern Europe, specifically within the regions of Poland and Ukraine. The name's etymology points to a traditional Slavic basis, indicative of a geographic or patronymic origin. It is derived from the Polish or Ukrainian word "Yanko," which is a diminutive form of the given name Jan, equivalent to John in English. The suffix "-sky" or "-ski" in Polish often means "of" or "belonging to," suggesting that Yankowsky originally described someone who was "of Jan" or "son of Jan."

The surname Yankowsky appeared in historical records as early as the 16th century, during the height of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Variations of the spelling, such as Jankowski, were commonly seen in archival manuscripts, and the name was often linked to noble families who held significant land in what is now modern-day Poland and Ukraine. The name Yankowsky can also be found in older documents spelled as Jankowsky or Yankovski, reflecting the various transliterations from Cyrillic or Polish alphabets into Latin script.

One of the earliest noteworthy individuals bearing the surname Yankowsky was Michał Yankowsky, a minor noble who was recorded to be living in the vicinity of Lwów (present-day Lviv, Ukraine) in the early 1600s. Historical records indicate that the family played a role in local governance and military affairs during a period marked by regional conflicts and shifting territories.

In the late 18th century, Stanisław Yankowsky emerged as a notable figure. Born in 1775, Stanisław was an officer in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth's military forces and participated in the Kościuszko Uprising of 1794, which sought to defend Polish sovereignty against partitioning powers. His contributions were documented in several military annals of the time, reflecting the prominent role the Yankowsky family had within the Commonwealth's military structure.

In the 19th century, a prominent cultural figure named Aleksandr Yankowsky (1825-1897) gained recognition for his work as a poet and writer during the Russian Empire's control over Polish territories. His literary contributions were significant in the preservation and promotion of Polish culture and language during a period of intense Russification policies. Several of his works were published in literary journals of the era, providing insight into the cultural and social dynamics of Polish identity under imperial rule.

Entering the 20th century, Ivan Yankowsky (1889-1951), a Ukrainian political activist and intellectual, became known for his involvement in the Ukrainian national movement during the early years of the Soviet Union. Ivan's efforts focused on advocating for Ukrainian autonomy and cultural preservation, which often put him at odds with Soviet authorities, leading to his arrest and imprisonment.

Another notable bearer was Wanda Yankowsky (1905-1982), an influential artist in the interwar period and post-World War II Poland. Her works, characterized by a blend of traditional Polish motifs and modernist styles, were showcased in several European exhibitions, earning her a place among the notable artists of her time. Her contributions to the arts were honored with various accolades and retrospectives in Polish cultural institutions.

The surname Yankowsky has thus seen various historical epochs and geographic settings, reflecting significant cultural, military, and political contributions made by individuals bearing the name across centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yankowsky

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

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

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

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