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

Yergensen, 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 Yergensen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yergensen in America

Yergensen is the 116201st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yergensen surname appeared 150 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 Yergensen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yergensen 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 Yergensen

The surname Yergensen has its origins in the Scandinavian region, specifically in Denmark. The name emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 14th century. It is derived from the Danish patronymic naming tradition, where surnames were formed by appending "sen," meaning "son," to the father's given name. Yergensen, therefore, translates to the "son of Yergen."

Yergen is believed to be a variation of the name Jørgen, which itself is derived from the Greek name Georgios, meaning “farmer” or “earth-worker.” Throughout history, variations of the name Yergen have appeared, such as Jörgen, Georgen, and Jürgen, illustrating the complex linguistic transformations across regions and over time.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname appears in the Danish Census Book of 1573. Anders Yergensen was noted for his role as a landowner in the rural area of Jutland. Documentation from the period shows few variations in the spelling of the name, solidifying its consistency across different records.

Historical references of the name Yergensen continue into the late 16th century. Notably, a Jens Yergensen served as a magistrate in Viborg, Denmark, around 1590. His work in local governance was documented in civic records of the time, highlighting the surname's presence in official capacities.

During the 17th century, the surname gained some prominence due to Peder Yergensen, an early Danish explorer who contributed to cartographic studies of Greenland. Born in 1625 and passing away in 1683, Peder’s contributions provided valuable insights into the largely uncharted territories of the North.

The name also appeared in the annals of the Danish clergy, with Hans Yergensen serving as a notable Lutheran minister in the early 18th century. His sermons, well-documented and preserved in parish records, offer a glimpse into the religious landscape of the time. He was born in 1697 and died in 1754, leaving a legacy in ecclesiastical history.

Later in the 18th century, the scholar Magnus Yergensen made significant contributions to Danish literature and linguistics. Born in 1734 and dying in 1791, he was renowned for his translation work of classical texts into Danish and for his treatises on the Danish language. His work remains influential in academic circles to this day.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yergensen

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

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

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

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