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

Yen, 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 Yen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yen in America

Yen is the 6671st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yen surname appeared 5,066 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Yen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yen 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 Yen

The surname "Yen" is believed to have originated from the Chinese word "Yuan" or "Yuán", which means "source" or "origin". The name is thought to have first appeared in China during the Yuan Dynasty, which ruled from 1271 to 1368.

The Yuan Dynasty was established by Kublai Khan, the grandson of Genghis Khan, and was the first non-Chinese dynasty to rule over the whole of China. During this period, many non-Chinese people, including Mongols and other ethnic groups, settled in China and adopted Chinese surnames.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "Yen" can be found in the "Yuan Shi" (History of the Yuan Dynasty), a historical record compiled during the Ming Dynasty. This work mentions several notable individuals with the surname "Yen" who served in the Yuan court or played significant roles during that era.

In the 14th century, a scholar named Yen Hui-ch'ing (1286-1356) was known for his expertise in Confucian philosophy and his contributions to the study of the Analects. Another prominent figure with the surname "Yen" was Yen Tzu-ch'ing (1293-1358), a renowned painter and calligrapher who served as an official in the Yuan court.

During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the surname "Yen" continued to be used by Chinese families. One notable individual from this period was Yen Sung (1480-1567), a renowned scholar and official who served as a Grand Secretary under the Jiajing Emperor.

In the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), the surname "Yen" was also found among Chinese families. One prominent figure with this surname was Yen Fu (1854-1921), a renowned scholar and translator who introduced Western works on philosophy, science, and economics to China.

Throughout history, the surname "Yen" has been associated with several notable individuals, including scholars, artists, and officials. While the name originated in China during the Yuan Dynasty, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yen

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

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

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

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