2000
#5,214
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,153
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.28
Rare Last name
Yeh
A Chinese surname meaning "leaf" or "page," likely referring to an ancestor's occupation or characteristics.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 8,584 Americans carry the last name Yeh. That puts it at #4,595 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.50 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 39,929 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Yeh 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
8.6K
1 in 39,929
Census rank
#4,595
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
7.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 7,486 bearers of the surname Yeh in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.50 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4595th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Yeh, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.3%) and White (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Yeh
The surname YEH is of Chinese origin, primarily found in regions such as Taiwan, Hong Kong, and parts of mainland China. It is believed to have originated during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) when surnames became more widespread among the general population.
One of the earliest known references to the YEH surname can be traced back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), where it appeared in various local records and historical chronicles. The name is thought to be derived from the Chinese word "ye" (葉), which means "leaf" or "foliage." This suggests that the surname may have been associated with individuals who lived near leafy areas or worked with plants.
During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the YEH surname gained prominence in the southern regions of China, particularly in Fujian and Guangdong provinces. Notable figures from this period include Yeh Sheng (1420-1474), a renowned scholar and poet, and Yeh Xian (1464-1551), a celebrated military strategist.
As the Chinese diaspora spread across Asia and beyond, the YEH surname became more widely distributed. In the 17th century, a branch of the Yeh family settled in Taiwan, where they played a significant role in the island's history. One prominent member was Yeh Kung-cho (1625-1690), a respected scholar and calligrapher.
Moving into the modern era, several individuals with the YEH surname have made significant contributions in various fields. Yeh Shan-shan (1908-1988) was a celebrated Chinese writer and translator, known for her works on Western literature. Yeh Faisha (1926-2008) was a renowned Hong Kong businessman and philanthropist, while Yeh Shen-tao (1926-2023) was a respected academic and historian in Taiwan.
Other notable figures include Yeh Hsueh-chi (1935-2012), a prominent Taiwanese politician and diplomat, and Yeh Chu-ying (1942-2020), a celebrated Taiwanese baseball player and coach.
While the YEH surname is most commonly associated with China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, it has also been adopted by individuals in other parts of the world, reflecting the far-reaching influence of Chinese culture and migration.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Yeh
Among Census respondents with the surname Yeh, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.3%) and White (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Yeh 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 Yeh surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander91.1% · 6,819
- Two or more races4.3% · 322
- White3.0% · 225
- Hispanic or Latino1.3% · 101
- Black or African American0.3% · 19
Timeline
Historical Census data for Yeh
Yeh 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
#5,046
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,958
+805 bearers (+13.1%)
Per 100,000 2.36
Rank movement Up 168 places
2020
#4,595
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,486
+528 bearers (+7.6%)
Per 100,000 2.50
Rank movement Up 451 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,214 | 6,153 | 2.28 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,046 | 6,958 | 2.36 | +805 bearers (+13.1%) | Up 168 places |
| 2020 | #4,595 | 7,486 | 2.50 | +528 bearers (+7.6%) | Up 451 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 Yeh 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 | #5,046 | #4,595 | 8.9% |
| Count | 6,958 | 7,486 | 7.6% |
| Per 100K | 2.36 | 2.50 | 6.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Yeh bearers went from 6,958 to 7,486 (+7.6% change). The surname moved up 451 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,046 to #4,595.
FAQ
Yeh surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Yeh?
Name Census estimates that about 8,584 living Americans carry the surname Yeh. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 39,929 residents.
How common is Yeh?
Yeh ranks #4,595 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.50 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 7,486 people with the surname Yeh. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (8,584), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.5 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.50 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Yeh.
Has Yeh become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Yeh went from 6,958 recorded bearers to 7,486. That is an increase of 528 (+7.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #5,046 to #4,595.
What does the Census say about the background of Yeh?
Among Census respondents with the surname Yeh, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.3%) and White (3.0%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Yeh in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.1% (6,819 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Yeh appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (91.1%), Two or More Races (4.3%), White (3.0%). 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 Yeh (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 Yeh mean?
A Chinese surname meaning "leaf" or "page," likely referring to an ancestor's occupation or characteristics. 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 Yeh (2.50 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 have the surname Yeh?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.