Yazzie last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Yazzie

A Navajo surname derived from the word "yázhí," meaning "little one" or "son" in the Navajo language.

Yazzie, 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 Yazzie surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yazzie in America

Yazzie is the 2424th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yazzie surname appeared 14,949 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Yazzie.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yazzie 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 2424 2386 1.58%
Count 14,949 13,915 7.16%
Proportion per 100k 5.07 5.16 -1.76%

The history of the last name Yazzie

The surname "YAZZIE" is of Navajo origin and is believed to have emerged around the 17th or 18th century in the Southwestern United States, particularly in the areas now known as Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is derived from the Navajo word "yazhi," which means "small" or "little."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "YAZZIE" can be found in the writings of Spanish explorers and missionaries who encountered the Navajo people during their expeditions in the region. These early accounts often refer to individuals or groups with variations of the name, such as "Yatzhi" or "Yatzie."

In the 19th century, the name "YAZZIE" became more prominent as the Navajo Nation's interactions with the United States government increased. Several notable individuals bearing this surname emerged during this period, including Hastiin Yazzie, a respected Navajo leader born around 1815, and Manuelito Yazzie, a prominent warrior and diplomat who played a crucial role in the negotiations that led to the establishment of the Navajo reservation in 1868.

Another significant figure in Navajo history was Chee Yazzie, a highly skilled silversmith born in 1857. His intricate and innovative designs helped establish the Navajo silversmithing tradition and influenced many subsequent generations of artisans.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the "YAZZIE" surname also appeared in various government records and documents related to the Navajo Nation. One such record is the 1892 Census of the Navajo Nation, which lists several families with the "YAZZIE" surname, indicating its widespread use among the Navajo people at the time.

As the 20th century progressed, the "YAZZIE" name continued to be associated with prominent figures in Navajo culture and society. For instance, Annie Wauneka Yazzie, born in 1910, was a renowned Navajo activist and advocate for health and education initiatives on the Navajo Nation.

It is important to note that while the "YAZZIE" surname is predominantly associated with the Navajo people, it may have also been adopted or used by individuals from other Native American tribes or cultures in the Southwestern region, reflecting the complex histories and interactions between different groups in that area.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yazzie

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

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 Yazzie was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 1.58% 236
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.07% 10
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.09% 13
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 94.56% 14,136
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 1.74% 260
Hispanic Origin 1.95% 292

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 Yazzie has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 1.58% 1.44% 9.27%
Black 0.07% 0.10% -35.29%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.09% 0.05% 57.14%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 94.56% 96.10% -1.62%
Two or More Races 1.74% 1.37% 23.79%
Hispanic 1.95% 0.93% 70.83%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Yazzie last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 27, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/yazzie-surname-popularity/.

"Yazzie last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/yazzie-surname-popularity/. Accessed 27 July, 2024

Yazzie last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/yazzie-surname-popularity/.

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