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

Yawger, 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 Yawger surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yawger in America

Yawger is the 145220th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yawger surname appeared 114 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 Yawger.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yawger 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 Yawger

The surname Yawger is believed to have its origins in Germany, likely dating back to the medieval period. The name might be derived from the Middle High German word jagen, which means "to hunt." It is conceivable that the name was originally given to someone who was a hunter by trade or enjoyed hunting as a pastime. This occupation-based surname would have been relatively common in the rural parts of Germany, especially in areas with dense forests that supported hunting activities.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname in historical records can be traced back to the regions of what are today known as Bavaria and Lower Saxony. These areas were historically wooded and known for their hunting culture. Variations of the name in old manuscripts might have included spellings such as Jäger or Jagen, but as families migrated and regional dialects evolved, the name morphed into Yawger.

One of the earliest documented references to the name can be found in a 14th-century Bavarian tax record, listing a Jakob Jagen as a landowner. This suggests that by this time, families bearing this name had already established a level of prominence that warranted their inclusion in official records. Another historical reference includes Hermann Yawger, recorded in a Lower Saxony parish registry in the early 15th century, where he was noted for his skills in wood carving.

The name Yawger appears to have crossed the Atlantic with German immigrants to the United States during the 18th and 19th centuries. One notable figure is Johann Peter Yawger, who was born in Hesse in 1755 and migrated to Pennsylvania in 1783. Records show that he was a prominent member of his community and served as a town clerk, further cementing the legacy of the Yawger name in American history.

In the late 19th century, the name continued to gain recognition with figures such as George Yawger, born in 1862 in New York. He became known for his contributions to agricultural development in the state. His work in promoting scientific farming techniques earned him a reputation as a forward-thinking pioneer in the farming community of his era.

Emma Yawger, a distinguished scholar born in 1880, is another notable person bearing this surname. Her academic work in early American literature marked her as an important figure in literary circles. She was often cited in scholarly papers and was an early advocate for the inclusion of women's perspectives in historical literary analysis.

The Yawger name carries a rich history that is deeply intertwined with the cultural and occupational heritage of medieval Germany. It has left its mark across continents and centuries, borne by individuals of varying prominence in their respective fields, thus ensuring that the legacy of the Yawger surname continues to endure.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yawger

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

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

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

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