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

Yansen, 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 Yansen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yansen in America

Yansen is the 146201st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yansen surname appeared 113 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 Yansen.

The history of the last name Yansen

The surname Yansen is of Dutch origin, stemming from the Netherlands. It dates back to the medieval period, roughly around the 14th century. The name itself is a patronymic surname, which means it is derived from the first name of an ancestor. In this case, Yansen means "son of Jan." Jan is a common Dutch first name, equivalent to John in English, with its origins in the Hebrew name Yochanan, meaning "God is gracious."

The areas where the name Yansen originally appeared are primarily in the provinces of North Holland and South Holland, known for their dense population and historical significance. The Dutch were keen record-keepers, and this surname started to manifest in parish records, tax documents, and early civic registries. Variations of the spelling include Jansen, Janssen, and Jansz, reflecting slight regional linguistic differences over time.

One of the earliest references to the surname Yansen can be traced back to the 1420s in records of Amsterdam, a burgeoning mercantile hub at the time. Manuscripts and legal documents often listed Yansen among other notable family names, indicating that bearers of the name were involved in commerce and are possibly members of the burgeoning bourgeois class.

The name appears frequently in historical records, such as the famous tax registers known as the "Kohier," or "tijdschriften" for archives related to charters. One of the earliest documented individuals with this surname is Willem Yansen, a merchant from Haarlem who lived around 1450-1510.

A notable historical figure is Abel Janszoon Tasman, bearing a surname derivative of Jan. While not exactly Yansen, Tasman's exploration tied Dutch patronymic traditions with navigational history. He lived from 1603-1659 and is celebrated for his discoveries in the Pacific, including Tasmania and New Zealand.

In the 17th century, Jonas Yansen van Nostrand, another bearer of the name, emigrated to the burgeoning Dutch colony of New Netherland, specifically in what is now Brooklyn, New York. He lived from 1622-1698 and was instrumental in establishing early Dutch-American communities.

Arne Yansen, a lesser-known but equally significant historical figure, was a recorder in Rotterdam during the early 1700s, contributing to the local governance and administration.

Finally, focussing more broadly on notable individuals, the 19th century saw figures like Hendrik Yansen, a prominent figure in the Dutch East India Company, evidence of the name's association with trade and exploration. His life spanned from 1802-1878, marking an era of colonial expansion and economic growth.

Through these historical touchpoints, the surname Yansen not only signifies a familial link to an ancestor named Jan but also showcases a rich tapestry of social, economic, and exploratory achievements within Dutch history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yansen

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

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 Yansen 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.

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Yansen, 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!