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

Yensen, 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 Yensen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yensen in America

Yensen is the 128249th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yensen surname appeared 133 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 Yensen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yensen 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 Yensen

The surname Yensen originates from Denmark and is Scandinavian in its roots. The name can be traced back to the medieval period, around the 14th century. Yensen is a patronymic surname, meaning it is derived from the given name of an ancestor, specifically "Jens." The suffix "sen" in Danish, as well as in other Scandinavian languages, means "son of," indicating that Yensen means "son of Jens."

The given name Jens itself is a Danish form of Johannes (John in English), which means "God is gracious" in Hebrew. Similar surnames such as Jensen are more commonly found across Denmark and its neighboring regions. Variants of the name like Jenson and Jenssen exist, showing slight variations in spelling that were common in older records.

In medieval Danish parish records, one of the earliest mentions of the Yensen surname appears in a 1362 manuscript known as the Codex Holmiensis, detailing the inhabitants of various Danish estates. This is one of the historical documents that first recorded the surname in a written context.

During the late 15th century, documents from the city of Aalborg featured a villager named Lars Yensen (1450-1510), noted for his involvement in local trade and agriculture. His entries in the municipal records from 1492 highlight one of the earliest familial ties to this surname in urban centers.

In the 16th century, a figure known as Anders Yensen (1520-1594), a prominent landowner near Copenhagen, is another notable bearer of the surname. His name appears in land grant records and ecclesiastical registers, providing a glimpse into the social standing of those with the surname Yensen during this period.

Casper Yensen (1605-1667), an influential merchant and shipowner, is another significant individual from this lineage. Establishing trade routes between Denmark and the Baltic states, he became renowned in his era, with his ventures being documented in the trading logs from 1634 onwards.

Another noted historical figure is Gregor Yensen (1708-1777), a scholar and educator. A contributor to classical studies and the author of several manuscripts on Latin and Greek literature, his work was recognized in academic circles and preserved in library archives in Aarhus.

Niels Yensen (1753-1811), a pastor and theologian, is famous for his religious contributions and theological treatises during the Lutheran reformations in Denmark. His published works and involvement in ecclesiastical changes were significant in shaping Danish religious perspectives, as seen in records from church synods and conferences in the late 18th century.

These historical individuals reflect the diverse roles that bearers of the Yensen surname have played throughout Danish history. The surname has evolved but persists in historical documents, offering a rich tapestry of familial and cultural heritage originating from Scandinavian roots.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yensen

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

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

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

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