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

Yeakley, 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 Yeakley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yeakley in America

Yeakley is the 39607th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yeakley surname appeared 555 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 Yeakley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yeakley 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 Yeakley

The surname Yeakley most likely originates from England, with its roots traceable back to the medieval period. It evolved from variations in spelling and pronunciation, influenced by the regional dialects of old English or Anglo-Saxon origins. The name appears to be toponymic, deriving from a geographical feature or location. Early forms of surnames often underwent significant changes in spelling before English orthography became standardized.

One possible origin could be a variation of oak-leigh or oakley, where "oak" refers to the tree and "leigh" or "ley" denotes a meadow or clearing. The combination would mean an oak meadow. Such names were quite common in England, where family surnames began to be adopted in the 11th to 14th centuries. Historical records indicate that surnames were often derived from the names of villages, towns, or natural features where the family lived or owned land.

In historical documentation, the name Yeakley is not frequently found but has appeared in various forms. In 1379, the Poll Tax returns listed a John de Yokely in Yorkshire, pointing toward an early occurrence of the name or a similar variant. Another earlier form could be Yekley or Yeckley, indicating potential phonetic shifts over time.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname is Thomas Yeakley, born circa 1580. Thomas is mentioned in parish records in the county of Lancashire, where he was a yeoman by trade. This suggests that the Yeakley family may have been involved in farming or rural enterprise from an early period.

A notable individual carrying the surname was Josiah Yeakley, born in 1819 in Virginia, USA. Josiah was one of the early American settlers who migrated west, contributing to the westward expansion of the United States. His contributions to local communities were noted in various historical accounts.

Louisa Yeakley, born in 1834, played a significant role in supporting Civil War efforts and is documented for her participation in community relief activities. Her efforts symbolized the resilience and commitment associated with many families during turbulent historical periods.

Another distinguished member of the Yeakley lineage was Alfred Yeakley, born in 1865 and known for his involvement in early educational reform in Texas. He advocated for more accessible public schooling and served on several educational committees during his lifetime.

Lastly, Dr. Samuel Yeakley, born in 1872, was a prominent physician in Pennsylvania. His medical practice and commitment to public health distinguish him in both local historical records and medical journals of the early 20th century.

These individuals reflect the varied contributions of the Yeakley family across different periods and regions, highlighting a legacy rooted in both English origins and American evolution.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yeakley

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

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

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

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