2000
#36,421
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 580
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.22
Very Rare Last name
Yeagle
A variant spelling of the English surname "Eagle" referring to a sharp-eyed person.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 665 Americans carry the last name Yeagle. That puts it at #40,641 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.19 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 515,420 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Yeagle surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
665
1 in 515,420
Census rank
#40,641
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
580
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 580 bearers of the surname Yeagle in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.19 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 40641st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Yeagle, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.9%) and Two or More Races (1.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Yeagle
The surname Yeagle is of German origin, tracing back to medieval times. It is believed to have originated in the regions of Bavaria or the Rhineland, areas known for their rich history and culture. The name likely derived from the Middle High German word jäger, meaning "hunter." During the Middle Ages, many surnames were occupational in nature, and as such, Yeagle likely referred to someone who hunted as a profession.
In its earliest forms, the surname appeared in various spellings, reflecting the phonetic attempts to transcribe regional dialects and variations in literacy at the time. Common early spellings include Jägel, Jegel, and Jegelmann. These variations were documented in several old manuscripts and church records from the late 14th to the early 16th centuries. Such records are invaluable for tracing the evolution of the surname as it migrated and transformed through oral traditions and written documents.
Historical references to the surname can be found in the taxable records of the Holy Roman Empire. One of the earliest documented instances of the name was in the late 15th century, when a Hans Jägel was noted as a landowner in the region of Bamberg, Germany. Church records from the same period also list a Wilhelm Jegelmann who was a notable figure in the town of Speyer, probably known for his contributions to local governance or trade.
As the descendants of people with the surname Yeagle began to move, especially during periods of European strife and migration, the name spread across various regions. By the 1700s, the name began to appear in North America, carried by German immigrants seeking better opportunities or fleeing conflicts. Jacob Yeagle, born in 1723, is an example of an early settler in Pennsylvania, contributing to the agricultural development of the area.
Another notable person bearing the surname was Johann Peter Yeagle, born in 1792, who became a prominent figure in the Lutheran Church in the early 19th century. His descendants continued to be influential within religious communities in the American Midwest.
In the early 20th century, Charles Yeagle, born in 1885, gained recognition as an inventor and industrial pioneer in Ohio. His contributions to the manufacturing sector during the industrial boom are well documented in local histories.
The surname has also seen representation in the arts. George Yeagle, an artist and illustrator born in 1904, was known for his contributions to early 20th-century American art, particularly within the realm of commercial illustration.
Throughout its history, the surname Yeagle reflects a journey from the forests and fields of medieval Germany to the diverse landscapes of the modern world. Its bearers have made notable contributions in various fields, leaving a legacy that continues to be remembered and studied by historians and genealogists alike.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Yeagle
Among Census respondents with the surname Yeagle, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.9%) and Two or More Races (1.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Yeagle bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Yeagle surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.7% · 555
- Hispanic or Latino1.9% · 11
- Two or more races1.6% · 9
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Yeagle
Yeagle appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#45,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 470
-110 bearers (-19.0%)
Per 100,000 0.16
Rank movement Down 9,074 places
2020
#40,641
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 580
+110 bearers (+23.4%)
Per 100,000 0.19
Rank movement Up 4,854 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #36,421 | 580 | 0.22 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #45,495 | 470 | 0.16 | -110 bearers (-19.0%) | Down 9,074 places |
| 2020 | #40,641 | 580 | 0.19 | +110 bearers (+23.4%) | Up 4,854 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Yeagle surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #45,495 | #40,641 | 10.7% |
| Count | 470 | 580 | 23.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.16 | 0.19 | 21.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Yeagle bearers went from 470 to 580 (+23.4% change). The surname moved up 4,854 positions in the national ranking, going from #45,495 to #40,641.
FAQ
Yeagle surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Yeagle?
Name Census estimates that about 665 living Americans carry the surname Yeagle. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 515,420 residents.
How common is Yeagle?
Yeagle ranks #40,641 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.19 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 580 people with the surname Yeagle. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (665), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.19 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.19 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Yeagle.
Has Yeagle become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Yeagle went from 470 recorded bearers to 580. That is an increase of 110 (+23.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #45,495 to #40,641.
What does the Census say about the background of Yeagle?
Among Census respondents with the surname Yeagle, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.9%) and Two or More Races (1.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Yeagle in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.7% (555 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Yeagle appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.7%), Hispanic (1.9%), Two or More Races (1.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Yeagle (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Yeagle mean?
A variant spelling of the English surname "Eagle" referring to a sharp-eyed person. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Yeagle (0.19 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Yeagle?
You can see how many Americans have the surname Yeagle on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.