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

Ye, 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 Ye surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ye in America

Ye is the 3609th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ye surname appeared 9,839 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Ye.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ye 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 Ye

The surname Ye originated in China and is believed to have derived from the Chinese word "ye" meaning "leaf." It is a relatively common surname, particularly in the southern regions of China, such as Guangdong and Fujian provinces.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Ye can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), where it was mentioned in various historical records and genealogical texts. During this period, the name was often associated with scholars and government officials.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Ye was Ye Fashan (594-668 AD), a renowned Buddhist monk and calligrapher who lived during the Tang Dynasty. Another notable figure was Ye Mengde (1077-1148 AD), a prominent Confucian scholar and philosopher from the Song Dynasty.

In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the surname Ye was particularly prominent in the region of Guangdong. The Ming Dynasty scholar and writer Ye Xianggao (1562-1627 AD) was a notable figure from this period, known for his works on literature and poetry.

During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 AD), the Ye surname continued to be well-represented among scholars and officials. One prominent individual was Ye Zhaoqi (1646-1718 AD), a scholar-official who served as a governor and made significant contributions to the compilation of local gazetteers.

In more recent history, the Ye surname has produced several notable figures in various fields. Ye Shengtao (1894-1988 AD) was a renowned educator and linguist who played a crucial role in the development of the Chinese language and writing system. Ye Qianyu (1904-1995 AD) was a respected artist and calligrapher, known for his innovative techniques and contributions to modern Chinese art.

While the surname Ye has its roots in China, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. Individuals with this surname can be found in various countries, including Taiwan, Singapore, and diaspora communities in North America and Europe.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ye

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

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

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

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