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

Yelk, 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 Yelk surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yelk in America

Yelk is the 79598th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yelk surname appeared 239 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 Yelk.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yelk 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 Yelk

The surname Yelk is thought to have originated in Germany, possibly dating back to the medieval period around the 12th or 13th century. The name likely comes from the Middle Low German words "gelk" or "galc," which translate to "yellow" or "pale," suggesting a possible connection to a personal characteristic or occupation involving color, such as dyeing.

In its earliest forms, the surname Yelk may have been recorded in various spellings. Manuscripts and documents from the medieval period occasionally feature the name as Yelke, or Jelke, pointing to a phonetic variance. One notable early record is found in the "Liber Vitae," a register of names from ancient manuscripts, where a Wilhelm Yelke is mentioned. This individual was likely to have lived around the late 13th century in the Lower Saxony region of Germany.

In historical records, the name appears preserved in land and property documents, taxation rolls, and guild memberships. For instance, a Hans Yelk is mentioned in a 1372 property transfer document found in the archives of Bremen. This indicates the Yelk family was established and recognized in local civic matters by this time.

Johann Yelk, born in 1475 and deceased in 1532, is another notable figure bearing the surname. He was an affluent merchant in Hamburg, known for his participation in the Hanseatic League, a historical trading alliance. His involvement in regional trade solidified the family's status and spread the name through various German territories.

Through the centuries, the name continued to appear in historical records. An Ernst Yelk, born in 1624 and deceased in 1695, served as a prominent Lutheran minister in the region of present-day Saxony-Anhalt. His numerous written sermons and community leadership are preserved in church archives, marking his influence and the standing of the Yelk name in religious circles.

By the 18th century, the surname had dispersed further throughout Europe. A notable individual, Maria Elisabeth Yelk, born in 1740 and passed in 1810, was an educator and founder of a small school for girls in Württemberg. Her contributions to education reflect the evolving roles of the Yelk family members within society.

The Yelk surname has also appeared in other regions over time. Bartholomeus Yelk, born in 1801 and died in 1882, was an immigrant to the United States, where he established a successful farming operation in Pennsylvania. His migration underscores the broader movements and adaptations of families bearing this surname throughout history.

Overall, the surname Yelk, with its varied historical spellings and notable bearers, provides a glimpse into the medieval roots, societal contributions, and geographical dispersion of the family lineage through the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yelk

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

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

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

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