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

Yeager, 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 Yeager surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yeager in America

Yeager is the 1582nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yeager surname appeared 22,634 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 8 people would have the surname Yeager.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yeager 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 Yeager

The surname Yeager has its origins in Germany, where it first appeared in the 14th century. It is derived from the German word "jäger," which means "hunter" or "gamekeeper." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name were likely involved in hunting or forestry-related occupations.

In its early form, the name was often spelled as "Jäger" or "Jaeger." It wasn't until later that the anglicized spelling "Yeager" became more common, particularly among those who immigrated to English-speaking countries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the records of the city of Nuremberg, where a certain Hans Jäger was mentioned in a document dated 1387. Another notable early reference comes from the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburg, a collection of historical documents from the region of Brandenburg, which includes a mention of a person named Henricus Jegere in 1402.

As the name spread throughout Germany and neighboring regions, it took on various local spellings and variations, such as Jäger, Jaeger, Jeger, and Yeger, among others.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Yeager surname was Johann Yeager, a German artist born in 1582 in Nuremberg. He was known for his intricate woodcarvings and religious artwork.

Another notable figure was Ludwig Yeager (1735-1812), a German-born military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. He fought alongside George Washington and was known for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.

In the 19th century, John Yeager (1818-1892) was a German immigrant who became a successful businessman and landowner in Pennsylvania. He played a significant role in the development of the local community.

One of the most famous individuals with the Yeager surname was Chuck Yeager (1923-2020), an American aviator and former military officer. He was the first pilot to break the sound barrier in level flight, achieving this feat in 1947 while flying the experimental Bell X-1 rocket-powered aircraft.

Another noteworthy bearer of the Yeager name was William Yeager (1901-1991), an American author and journalist. He wrote several books on World War II and was known for his vivid accounts of the war's major battles and events.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yeager

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

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

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

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