2010
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Yarza
A surname originating from the Basque Country, possibly referring to place names or locales.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 125 Americans carry the last name Yarza. That puts it at #150,205 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,742,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Yarza 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.
Bearers in the US
125
1 in 2,742,035
Census rank
#150,205
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
109
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 109 bearers of the surname Yarza in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150205th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Yarza, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 83.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (12.8%) and White (3.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Yarza
The surname Yarza has its roots in the Basque Country, an autonomous community straddling the borders of northern Spain and southwestern France. The Basque region, known for its ancient and unique language, has a rich historical tapestry that dates back several millennia. The name Yarza is believed to originate from the Basque language, although its exact etymological roots are somewhat obscure, likely derived from old Basque words related to geographic features or occupations.
Earliest records of the surname Yarza can be found in documents from the medieval period, particularly from the 12th and 13th centuries. The Basque region was well-documented during this time due to its strategic importance and robust local governance. One notable early reference is from a 1242 municipal record detailing a land grant to a local figure bearing the surname Yarza. This document highlights the name’s historical presence in the region.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Yarza is Pedro de Yarza, a notable figure in the 14th century. He was mentioned in a 1365 charter regarding the construction of defensive walls in the town of San Sebastián, an important coastal city in the Basque Country. Pedro de Yarza's involvement in this project underscores the name's association with regional development and governance.
In the 16th century, the name appears again with Francisco Yarza, a prominent Basque merchant born around 1530. Francisco played a significant role in trade between the Basque Country and other regions of Europe, particularly England and the Netherlands, showcasing the reach and influence of the Yarza name beyond the local boundaries.
Another significant figure is María de Yarza, born in 1624 in the town of Guernica, an area with deep cultural significance to the Basque people. María de Yarza was known for her patronage of the arts and her contributions to preserving Basque folklore and traditions. Her support for local musicians and poets helps highlight the cultural impact of the Yarza family in the realm of Basque heritage.
In the 18th century, Juan Antonio Yarza, born in 1717, became a known political figure within the Basque Country. He served as a local magistrate and was involved in several key legal reforms that aimed to modernize the region's governance. His work further cemented the reputation of the Yarza family in local leadership.
By the 19th century, the surname's prominence continued with individuals like Ignacio Yarza, born in 1843, who became a noted scholar of Basque language and history. Ignacio's research and publications contributed significantly to the academic understanding of Basque culture and the linguistic complexities of the region. His work ensured that the surname Yarza remains associated with intellectual and cultural endeavors.
Throughout its history, the surname Yarza has been linked to various aspects of Basque society, from politics and trade to culture and academia. The name has consistently represented a lineage of influence and contribution to the development of the Basque Country, reflecting a rich heritage that spans several centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Yarza
Among Census respondents with the surname Yarza, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 83.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (12.8%) and White (3.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Yarza 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 Yarza surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino83.5% · 91
- Asian and Pacific Islander12.8% · 14
- White3.7% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Yarza
Yarza appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#150,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-4 bearers (-3.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,004 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #150,205 | 109 | 0.04 | -4 bearers (-3.5%) | Down 4,004 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 Yarza 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 | #146,201 | #150,205 | -2.7% |
| Count | 113 | 109 | -3.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Yarza bearers went from 113 to 109 (-3.5% change). The surname moved down 4,004 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #150,205.
FAQ
Yarza surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Yarza?
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the surname Yarza. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,742,035 residents.
How common is Yarza?
Yarza ranks #150,205 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 109 people with the surname Yarza. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (125), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Yarza.
Has Yarza become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Yarza went from 113 recorded bearers to 109. That is a decrease of 4 (-3.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #146,201 to #150,205.
What does the Census say about the background of Yarza?
Among Census respondents with the surname Yarza, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 83.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (12.8%) and White (3.7%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Yarza in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.5% (91 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Yarza appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (83.5%), Asian/Pacific Islander (12.8%), White (3.7%). 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 Yarza (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 Yarza mean?
A surname originating from the Basque Country, possibly referring to place names or locales. 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 Yarza (0.04 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 Yarza?
If you just want to know how many Americans have the surname Yarza, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.