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

Yenni, 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 Yenni surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yenni in America

Yenni is the 107669th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yenni surname appeared 165 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 Yenni.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yenni 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 Yenni

The surname Yenni is thought to have origins in Switzerland, specifically within the canton of Ticino, which lies in the southern part of the country. Ticino is an Italian-speaking region, and names from this area often have roots in Italian or Latin. The surname Yenni likely finds its origins in the late medieval period, around the 14th to 15th centuries. The name Yenni may derive from a diminutive or variation of Giovanni, which is the Italian form of John, a common name in Christian Europe. Given that Giovanni is rooted in the Latin Iohannes, the name signifies a direct connection to the Christian tradition and its widespread influence in the region during that era.

The earliest recorded mentions of the surname Yenni appear in local ecclesiastical and civic records in the Ticino region. For instance, a manuscript from the mid-1500s details the existence of a certain Pietro Yenni, who was a local farmer. Although no exhaustive early records center entirely on the Yenni family, several parish records from the 16th and 17th centuries provide glimpses of the name's presence in rural communities in Ticino.

One notable figure with the surname Yenni is Matteo Yenni, born in 1697 in Ticino. Matteo was a spice trader who ventured beyond his native Switzerland and established commerce routes into northern Italy. His activities are documented in trade records of the early 18th century.

Another significant individual is Tobias Yenni, born in 1745. As a merchant and landowner, Tobias played a role in local politics in Lugano, one of Ticino's prominent towns. His civic engagement is documented in mid-18th-century political archives of Ticino.

During the 19th century, the Yenni name appeared prominently in emigration records, reflecting a broader trend of Swiss migration. Ulrich Yenni, born in 1825, exemplifies this movement; he emigrated to the United States in 1845 and settled in Pennsylvania, where he became a successful farmer. His life and work are recorded in 19th-century American land and probate records.

Maria Yenni, born in 1889, stands as another influential bearer of the surname. As a teacher and advocate for women's education in early 20th-century Ticino, she made significant contributions to local educational reforms, and her efforts are recorded in educational archives from the period.

Bertrand Yenni, born in 1933, achieved recognition in the academic field as a linguist specializing in Romance languages. His scholarly works, published in the mid-to-late 20th century, have made lasting contributions to linguistic studies and are frequently cited in academic journals.

The surname Yenni thus embodies a rich and varied history, tied closely to the cultural and historical developments of the Ticino region in Switzerland. From rural farmers and local merchants to educators and scholars, individuals bearing the surname have left a tangible mark on their communities and beyond, spanning several centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yenni

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

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

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

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