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

Yau, 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 Yau surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yau in America

Yau is the 10565th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yau surname appeared 3,033 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Yau.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yau 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 Yau

The surname Yau originates from the Southern Chinese province of Guangdong, where it emerged in the late 7th century during the Tang Dynasty. It is believed to be derived from the Cantonese word "yau," which means "wealthy" or "prosperous." This connection suggests that the name was initially given to families who had achieved a certain level of affluence or success.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Yau surname can be found in the genealogical records of the Tang Dynasty, where it is mentioned in relation to a prominent family from the city of Guangzhou. This family was known for their successful trading ventures and their involvement in the local government.

During the Song Dynasty, which ruled from 960 to 1279, the Yau surname gained further recognition. Several individuals bearing this name held important positions within the imperial court, including Yau Chun-Fai, a renowned scholar and poet who lived from 1022 to 1088.

In the 13th century, the Yau surname appeared in the historical records of the Yuan Dynasty, which governed over a vast territory that included modern-day China, Mongolia, and parts of Russia. One notable figure from this period was Yau Siu-Ling, a military commander who played a significant role in the conquest of the Dali Kingdom in Yunnan Province.

As the centuries passed, the Yau surname spread across various regions of China, with notable individuals emerging in different fields. During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Yau Ching-Yan (1470-1523) was a celebrated painter and calligrapher, renowned for his exquisite landscape paintings and his mastery of the cursive script.

In the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), the Yau surname continued to be associated with prominent figures. Yau Ying-Shun (1724-1805) was a highly respected scholar and philosopher who made significant contributions to the Neo-Confucian movement. His works on ethics and social harmony had a lasting impact on Chinese intellectual thought.

Beyond China, the Yau surname has also been documented in various overseas Chinese communities, particularly in Southeast Asia and North America. One of the most notable figures with this surname is Yau Shing-Tung (1905-1994), a renowned mathematician and physicist who made groundbreaking contributions to the field of differential geometry and was awarded the prestigious Wolf Prize in 1983.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yau

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

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

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

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