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

Yepez, 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 Yepez surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yepez in America

Yepez is the 5411th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yepez surname appeared 6,433 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 Yepez.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yepez 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 Yepez

The surname Yepez originated in Spain and can be traced back to the late 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Spanish word "yepe," which referred to a type of shrub or bush commonly found in the Iberian Peninsula. The name may have initially been used as a descriptive surname, referring to someone who lived near or worked with these shrubs.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Yepez surname appears in the chronicles of the Spanish conquest of the Americas. In 1513, a soldier named Juan de Yepez accompanied Vasco Núñez de Balboa on his expedition across the Isthmus of Panama, becoming one of the first Europeans to lay eyes on the Pacific Ocean.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Yepez surname began to spread throughout Spain and its colonies in the Americas. In 1578, a man named Alonso de Yepez was born in Seville, Spain, and later became a renowned Catholic priest and author, writing several theological texts.

In the late 17th century, a prominent member of the Yepez family was Juan de Yepez y Mendoza (1630-1695), a Spanish nobleman and military leader who served as the viceroy of New Spain (present-day Mexico) from 1688 to 1692. His tenure was marked by efforts to improve infrastructure and defend the colony against foreign threats.

Another notable figure with the Yepez surname was the Mexican writer and philosopher José Vasconcelos Yepez (1882-1959), who was a prominent figure in the Mexican Revolution and later served as the Secretary of Public Education, promoting education and cultural reforms.

In more recent history, the Mexican-American artist Sergio Yepez (1941-2022) gained recognition for his vibrant paintings and murals celebrating Chicano culture and identity. His work was featured in numerous exhibitions and public spaces throughout the United States and Mexico.

While the Yepez surname may have originated from humble beginnings, referring to a common shrub, it has been carried by many influential individuals throughout history, from military leaders and viceroys to writers, artists, and revolutionaries. The name continues to be prevalent in Spanish-speaking communities around the world, reflecting its deep roots in the Iberian Peninsula and its diaspora across the Americas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yepez

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

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

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

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