Yeaman last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Yeaman

An occupational surname referring to a yeoman, a person holding lands by service.

Yeaman, 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 Yeaman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yeaman in America

Yeaman is the 26189th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yeaman surname appeared 934 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 Yeaman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yeaman 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 26189 26016 0.66%
Count 934 886 5.27%
Proportion per 100k 0.32 0.33 -3.08%

The history of the last name Yeaman

The surname Yeaman originates from the British Isles, specifically Scotland and England, and can be traced back to the Middle Ages, roughly around the 13th century. The name is believed to derive from the Old English word "gēoman," which means "yeoman" or "farmer," indicating a social status above that of a common laborer but below the gentry. Geographically, the name was prevalent in rural areas of Scotland and Northern England, regions where the yeoman class was historically significant.

Historical references provide a glimpse into the use and recognition of the surname. Early records such as the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from the early 14th century include instances of the name Yeaman. For example, John Yeman is noted in the records of 1327. Other documents, like the Poll Tax Records of 1379, feature entries for individuals like Richard Yeman, further establishing the name's presence during medieval times.

The surname Yeaman also appears in various historical manuscripts and legal documents throughout the ensuing centuries. One of the earliest recorded instances in Scotland involves a William Yeaman, documented in 1415 in Dundee. Various spellings have been noted over the years, such as Yemon, Yemonson, and Yeomans, each indicating subtle regional variations in pronunciation and spelling norms.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Yeaman include George Yeaman, born in 1829 in Kentucky, USA, who became a prominent U.S. politician and diplomat. Another historical figure is John Yeaman, Lord Provost of Dundee, who was influential in local Scottish government during the late 17th century. William Yeaman, mentioned earlier, served as a noted figure in Dundee and provided critical contributions to the town's civic administration.

Further examples include Henry Yeaman, a 16th-century landowner in Yorkshire, whose documented activities include the signing of various legal charters. In the 18th century, Jane Yeaman, a poet from Scotland born in 1758, gained recognition for her literary contributions, showcasing the diverse fields in which members of the Yeaman family have excelled.

Additional records from the early 19th century mention Alexander Yeaman, born in 1802, who was a well-respected teacher and community leader in Edinburgh. This array of historical references illustrates the surname Yeaman’s longstanding presence and the significant roles individuals with this name have played across various regions and time periods.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yeaman

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

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 Yeaman was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 90.15% 842
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.75% 7
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 1.07% 10
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.75% 7
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 3.00% 28
Hispanic Origin 4.28% 40

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

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 90.15% 92.78% -2.88%
Black 0.75% 0.68% 9.79%
Asian and Pacific Islander 1.07% 1.24% -14.72%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.75% 0.79% -5.19%
Two or More Races 3.00% 2.71% 10.16%
Hispanic 4.28% 1.81% 81.12%

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

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

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"Yeaman last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/yeaman-surname-popularity/.

"Yeaman last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/yeaman-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

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

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