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

Yelich, 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 Yelich surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yelich in America

Yelich is the 84136th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yelich surname appeared 223 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 Yelich.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yelich 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 Yelich

The surname Yelich has its origins in the Slavic-speaking regions of Eastern Europe, particularly from Croatia and Slovenia. The name is believed to be a variation of the Croatian surname Jelić or the Slovenian variant Jelic. This surname is derived from the Slavic personal name Jelena, which is equivalent to the English name Helen, rooted in the Greek 'Helene', meaning 'torch' or 'corposant'.

The surname Yelich appears in historical records dating back to the late medieval period in these regions. Manuscripts from the 15th century refer to families with variations of the surname, such as Jelich and Yelitch, living in what are now parts of modern-day Croatia and Slovenia. These records typically relate to land ownership and tax records, indicating the individuals were likely landowners or persons of some socioeconomic standing.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name in its current form appears in the 17th century in Croatia. In church registers from the region of Dalmatia, the name Jelić is documented, showing variations like Jelich and later Yelich as the family migrated and assimilated into different cultures.

Renowned individuals bearing the name include Ivan Jelić, a prominent 19th-century Croatian composer born in 1855 and died in 1903. His works contributed significantly to the cultural landscape of Croatia during his time. Another notable person is Miroslav Jelić, a mid-20th century sports figure in Europe, born in 1925, and remembered for his achievements in athletics, particularly in the field of soccer.

In the United States, one of the most well-known bearers of the surname is Christian Yelich, an American professional baseball outfielder born in 1991. Though a contemporary figure, his presence brought global attention to the surname and highlighted its Croatian-Slovenian roots.

Another historical person of note is Marko Jelić, a 19th-century Croatian politician born in 1814, who played a significant role in regional governance during the Austro-Hungarian period. His contributions to local legislation are well-documented in various governmental archives.

Finally, records from the 18th century mention a certain Dominik Jelić, a Croatian priest and scholar born in 1739 who made significant contributions to theological studies and local historical writings. His works are preserved in several Croatian libraries and archives, reflecting the intellectual presence of the name through the ages.

The surname Yelich, thus, presents a rich historical tapestry that weaves through the cultural and social fabric of Eastern Europe and extends its influence internationally, embodying a legacy of notable contributions across various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yelich

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

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

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

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