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

Yarkosky, 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 Yarkosky surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yarkosky in America

Yarkosky is the 129047th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yarkosky surname appeared 132 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 Yarkosky.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yarkosky 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 Yarkosky

The surname Yarkosky likely originates from Eastern Europe, particularly from the regions that are today known as Poland, Belarus, and Ukraine. The name is believed to have emerged during the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. These areas were part of a shifting landscape of principalities, duchies, and later kingdoms, which influenced the development of surnames based on local dialects and linguistic norms.

The etymology of Yarkosky suggests that it may be derived from an old Slavic root word. One possible derivation is the Slavic word "yarko," which loosely translates to "bright" or "vivid" in English. Another possible root is the term "jar," meaning "spring" or "energetic." The suffix "sky" is a common Slavic addition, often indicative of a locational or topographical origin, implying that the original bearers of the name might have been associated with a bright place, open fields, or a lively, blossoming region. Similar surnames like Jarkowsky and Yarkovsky exist, suggesting a common linguistic root.

Historical records containing Yarkosky are sparse but provide some illuminative insights. One of the earliest documented instances of a similar surname appears in the chronicles of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from the late 1500s to early 1600s, showing variations in spellings such as Jarkoski and Jarkowsky. These variations indicate the fluidity and evolution of surnames over time in response to regional dialects and the passage of oral traditions to written records.

An early notable bearer of the surname was Michał Yarkoski, born in 1687 and documented in Polish noble records. He was recorded as a landowner in the Masovian Voivodeship, a testament to the surname's roots in rural or semi-rural locales. Michał's records indicate that the family might have been part of the lower nobility, possibly involved in local governance or agricultural management.

Another historical figure with the surname was Ivan Yarkosky, a prominent merchant in the late 1700s in what is now Western Ukraine. Ivan's business dealings are noted in trade records from the city of Lviv, a significant cultural and economic hub during that period. His activities suggest that Yarkosky families were also engaged in commerce and trade.

In the 19th century, Sergey Yarkosky, born in 1823, was known for his contributions to the field of mathematics and physics in Russia. His work on the Yarkovsky effect, a force acting on rotating bodies in space caused by the anisotropic emission of thermal photons, remains significant in astronomical studies. Sergey's scientific achievements suggest that the Yarkosky name had by then been associated with intellectual and scholarly pursuits.

Moving to the 20th century, Anna Yarkosky, born in 1901, was an influential figure in the Ukrainian independence movement. Her activities are recorded in various nationalist publications and personal memoirs, highlighting her role in advocating for cultural and political autonomy during turbulent times in Eastern Europe.

Lastly, there is record of Jozef Yarkosky, born in 1912 in Poland who became a noted figure in the resistance movements during World War II. Jozef’s involvement in the fight against the occupying forces is documented in several wartime archives, reflecting the complex history of Eastern Europe and the significant roles that members of the Yarkosky family played.

In summary, the surname Yarkosky traces its origins to medieval Eastern Europe, derived from Slavic terms indicative of brightness or energy. Historical records chronicle the bearers of the surname spanning various walks of life, from nobility and commerce to scientific achievements and political activism, highlighting the diverse contributions of the Yarkosky family to their regional histories.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yarkosky

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

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

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

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