2000
#150,436
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Yardy
A topographic name for someone living near a yard or farmyard.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 112 Americans carry the last name Yardy. That puts it at #156,269 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,060,307 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Yardy 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Yardy with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
112
1 in 3,060,307
Census rank
#156,269
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
98
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 98 bearers of the surname Yardy in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156269th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Yardy, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.4%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (17.3%) and Two or More Races (5.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Yardy
The surname Yardy has its origins rooted in England, specifically in the early medieval period. It is predominantly thought to have derived from the Old English words "geard", meaning an enclosure or yard, which refers to a fenced or walled site sometimes including farm buildings and dwellings. The suffix "-y" is a diminutive form, indicating a place of enclosure or a small yard.
Records from the 12th and 13th centuries show variations of the surname in regions such as Norfolk and Suffolk, where enclosure-related terms were common due to the agrarian lifestyle of the inhabitants. Its earliest known attestations date back to medieval manuscripts and local parish records. One of the earliest known records of a variation of this name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 under the name "Geard", referencing land associated with rural properties.
An example of an early bearer is Thomas de Yardy, noted in a 1273 Norfolk census. He was one of the freemen, indicating a higher status among peasants and an acknowledgment of property ownership or specific land-related duties. The incorporation of "de" suggests a locational origin, implying that Thomas hailed from an area known as Yardy or one bearing a similar name.
In the historical register, a notable record from 1522 mentions William Yardy, a yeoman from Norfolk. His inclusion in the Muster Roll of that period indicates his participation in local defense duties, showcasing the name's progression from local identification to recognition in broader public records.
Fast forwarding to the 17th century, Richard Yardy (1604-1656) from Suffolk is another significant individual. His will, documented in 1656, provides insight into the property holdings and the familial connections of the Yardy family during this period, reflecting socio-economic status and the transmission of wealth and lands.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, the surname continues to be mentioned in various legal documents and registries. Samuel Yardy (1750-1822), a merchant from London, exemplifies the migration of the family from rural areas to urban centers during the industrial age, marking a significant transition in social standing and professional engagement within the expanding British economy.
By the 19th century, surnames such as Yardy were referenced in various trades and professions. John Yardy (1823-1885) is noted in census records as a skilled blacksmith, establishing the survival and evolution of the name within the emerging working and middle classes of Victorian England.
Throughout history, the surname Yardy has embodied the typical evolution of English surnames, illustrating a journey from rural identification to urban adaptation, capturing the socio-economic transitions over nearly a millennium. The people bearing this surname have participated in a broad spectrum of historical developments, leaving records that continue to contribute to our understanding of medieval and early modern England.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Yardy
Among Census respondents with the surname Yardy, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.4%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (17.3%) and Two or More Races (5.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Yardy 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 Yardy surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White72.4% · 71
- American Indian and Alaska Native17.3% · 17
- Two or more races5.1% · 5
- Black or African American3.1% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.0% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Yardy
Yardy 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
#160,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 10,539 places
2020
#156,269
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 98
-2 bearers (-2.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 4,706 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #150,436 | 100 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #160,975 | 100 | 0.03 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 10,539 places |
| 2020 | #156,269 | 98 | 0.03 | -2 bearers (-2.0%) | Up 4,706 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 Yardy 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 | #160,975 | #156,269 | 2.9% |
| Count | 100 | 98 | -2.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 9.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Yardy bearers went from 100 to 98 (-2.0% change). The surname moved up 4,706 positions in the national ranking, going from #160,975 to #156,269.
FAQ
Yardy surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Yardy?
Name Census estimates that about 112 living Americans carry the surname Yardy. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,060,307 residents.
How common is Yardy?
Yardy ranks #156,269 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 98 people with the surname Yardy. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (112), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Yardy.
Has Yardy become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Yardy went from 100 recorded bearers to 98. That is a decrease of 2 (-2.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #160,975 to #156,269.
What does the Census say about the background of Yardy?
Among Census respondents with the surname Yardy, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.4%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (17.3%) and Two or More Races (5.1%). 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 Yardy in the 2020 Census, accounting for 72.4% (71 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Yardy appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (72.4%), American Indian/Alaska Native (17.3%), Two or More Races (5.1%). 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 Yardy (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 Yardy mean?
A topographic name for someone living near a yard or farmyard. 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 Yardy (0.03 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 many people have the last name Yardy?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Yardy on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.