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

Yaws, 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 Yaws surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yaws in America

Yaws is the 64388th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yaws surname appeared 309 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 Yaws.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yaws 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 Yaws

The surname Yaws originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Middle English word "yew," which refers to the yew tree, an evergreen tree with significant cultural and historical importance. The name was likely used to describe individuals who lived near or by prominent yew trees or groves. The spelling and pronunciation of the surname have evolved over time, with variations such as Yowes, Yeows, and Yewes appearing in different records.

Earliest references to the surname Yaws can be traced back to the 13th century. One of the earliest recorded instances is found in the Assize Rolls of Somerset in 1271, where a Robert de Yewe is mentioned. This suggests that the family was established in that region quite early. The surname appears in other medieval documents, such as tax records and land grants, further cementing its presence in historical England.

In the 14th century, Richard Yaws of Hertfordshire is recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of 1332. He was a notable figure in his community, likely involved in local governance or land management. The name continued to be recorded in various legal and tax documents, indicating its persistence in English society.

The 16th century saw a John Yows in the Calais musters of 1539. This John Yows was a soldier stationed in the English garrison of Calais during the reign of King Henry VIII. His presence in military records highlights the spread of the surname beyond the typical agrarian or village settings into areas of national defense and service.

In the early modern period, the Yaws surname appears in parish registers, which began in earnest the 16th century. A Thomas Yaws is listed in the baptismal records of St. Margaret's Church in Westminster, London, in 1596. These records provide insight into the movement of the family from rural areas into urban centers during this period of increasing urbanization and social mobility in England.

By the 18th century, the surname Yaws can be found in colonial English records. George Yaws, born in 1710, emigrated to the American colonies and settled in Virginia. He is noted in the land grant documents of Virginia during the colonial period, contributing to the establishment of the Yaws family lineage in the New World.

The historical journey of the surname Yaws from its etymological roots in medieval England to its spread across continents reflects the broader patterns of migration, social change, and adaptation over centuries. The individuals who carried this surname played various roles, from landowners and soldiers to settlers in new territories, demonstrating the enduring legacy and adaptability of the Yaws family name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yaws

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

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

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

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