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

Yeaton, 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 Yeaton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yeaton in America

Yeaton is the 21717th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yeaton surname appeared 1,198 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 Yeaton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yeaton 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 Yeaton

The surname Yeaton has its origins in England, specifically within the counties of Devonshire and Shropshire. The name first emerged in the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century. Etymologically, Yeaton is believed to derive from the Old English elements "geat," meaning gate, and "tun," meaning settlement or farm. It essentially would have referred to a farm by the gate or a gated settlement.

The earliest references to the surname appear in medieval records, such as parish registers and tax rolls. One of the early instances of the name can be found in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1332, where a "Thomas de Yatton" is recorded in Somerset. This reinforces the link between the surname and geographical locations, suggesting that the name originated from a place called Yatton, which exists in multiple counties, including Somerset and Herefordshire.

John Yeaton, born around 1450, is another early example. He was a yeoman farmer in Devonshire. His name appears in various legal documents from the period, including land grants and court records. The continuous appearance of the name across Dorset and Devonshire during the 15th and 16th centuries indicates that the surname was well-established by this time.

In 1640, William Yeaton is recorded as migrating from England to New Hampshire in the American colonies. The Yeaton family thus has significant historical importance in the early colonial history of America. William's descendants played crucial roles in the development of New England, and the name remains relatively well-known in historical societies within the region.

Another noteworthy figure is Captain Samuel Yeaton, born in 1728, who served with distinction during the American Revolutionary War. He was a respected leader and his contributions to the war effort are documented in various military records of the period.

The 19th century saw individuals like Rev. John Yeaton, born in 1802, who became a notable Methodist minister in New Hampshire. His sermons and religious contributions are documented in church histories from the period. Similarly, Frederick Yeaton, born in 1820, was a prominent lawyer and politician in the state of Maine, having served multiple terms in the state legislature and holding a significant influence on local policy-making.

The surname Yeaton, with its deep roots in medieval England, has thus spread and gained prominence particularly in the northeastern United States. Its etymological origins and historical appearances paint a rich picture of the family name's journey through time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yeaton

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

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

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

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