2000
#54,269
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 356
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.13
Very Rare Last name
Yeamans
A locational surname referring to someone from Yeoman, an English place name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 375 Americans carry the last name Yeamans. That puts it at #65,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.11 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 914,012 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Yeamans 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Yeamans with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
375
1 in 914,012
Census rank
#65,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
327
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 327 bearers of the surname Yeamans in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.11 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 65511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Yeamans, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (0.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Yeamans
The surname Yeamans traces its origins to England, with its earliest records dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English term "geong mann," meaning "young man." The name originally referred to a servant or retainer, typically someone who served a lord or noble. Over the centuries, the spelling and pronunciation evolved, but the core meaning remained tied to youth and service.
Yeamans became a surname prominently in the counties of southern England, particularly in regions like Devon and Cornwall. These areas were fertile grounds for the surname due to the prevalence of manorial systems and agricultural estates, where many young men served their lords. Old records and manuscripts, such as those from the 13th and 14th centuries, often mention variations of the surname, including Yeoman, Yeomans, and Yeomans.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname is found in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 for Worcestershire, listing a Stephanus Yeomans. The name appeared in various forms in these tax records, signifying the individual's role in society. Another early example includes Richard Yeomans from the Hundred Rolls of 1273, who resided in Cambridgeshire. These historical documents provide valuable insights into the distribution and social standing of the surname.
Sir John Yeamans (1611-1674) is a notable figure bearing the surname. Born in England, he became a colonial governor of Carolina in North America. His leadership and contributions to the early American colonies left a lasting legacy, cementing the Yeamans name in history. The Yeamans family was also known for its connections to the sugar plantations in the Caribbean during the 17th century, particularly in Barbados.
Another notable individual is Robert Yeomans, a prominent merchant from Bristol in the early 17th century. Born around 1601, he played a significant role in the city's trade and was an active member of the local government. His influence on commerce and politics in Bristol highlights the prominence of the Yeamans family in regional affairs.
Ann Yeamans, an English actress born in 1798, made significant contributions to the theatrical arts in the 19th century. Her performances on stage in various plays and productions were well-received, and she remained an influential figure in the world of British theater until her death in 1864.
In the realm of science, Dr. William Yeamans (1835-1901) made significant strides in the field of medicine. His innovations and publications in the late 19th century advanced medical knowledge and practices, particularly in the area of public health and hygiene. His contributions were widely recognized, earning him a distinguished place in the medical community.
The surname Yeamans, with its rich history and varied spellings, reflects the social and professional roles of those who bore it. From medieval England to the Americas and beyond, the name's journey through history highlights the diverse contributions of the Yeamans family to society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Yeamans
Among Census respondents with the surname Yeamans, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (0.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Yeamans 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 Yeamans surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.4% · 312
- Two or more races3.4% · 11
- Hispanic or Latino0.6% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Yeamans
Yeamans 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
#64,721
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 307
-49 bearers (-13.8%)
Per 100,000 0.10
Rank movement Down 10,452 places
2020
#65,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 327
+20 bearers (+6.5%)
Per 100,000 0.11
Rank movement Down 790 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #54,269 | 356 | 0.13 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #64,721 | 307 | 0.10 | -49 bearers (-13.8%) | Down 10,452 places |
| 2020 | #65,511 | 327 | 0.11 | +20 bearers (+6.5%) | Down 790 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 Yeamans 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 | #64,721 | #65,511 | -1.2% |
| Count | 307 | 327 | 6.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.10 | 0.11 | 9.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Yeamans bearers went from 307 to 327 (+6.5% change). The surname moved down 790 positions in the national ranking, going from #64,721 to #65,511.
FAQ
Yeamans surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Yeamans?
Name Census estimates that about 375 living Americans carry the surname Yeamans. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 914,012 residents.
How common is Yeamans?
Yeamans ranks #65,511 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.11 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 327 people with the surname Yeamans. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (375), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.11 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.11 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 Yeamans.
Has Yeamans become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Yeamans went from 307 recorded bearers to 327. That is an increase of 20 (+6.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #64,721 to #65,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Yeamans?
Among Census respondents with the surname Yeamans, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (0.6%). 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 Yeamans in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.4% (312 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Yeamans appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.4%), Two or More Races (3.4%), Hispanic (0.6%). 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 Yeamans (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 Yeamans mean?
A locational surname referring to someone from Yeoman, an English place name. 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 Yeamans (0.11 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 share the surname Yeamans?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.