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

Yerka, 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 Yerka surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yerka in America

Yerka is the 154907th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yerka surname appeared 105 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 Yerka.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yerka 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 Yerka

The surname Yerka is believed to have originated from Slavic regions, specifically within the areas that make up modern-day Poland and the Czech Republic. The surname's earliest documented use dates back to the medieval period, approximately between the 14th and 15th centuries. Yerka is thought to derive from several possible roots, one of which is the Old Slavic word "jerka," a term that could be related to the Slovak or Czech word "jerka," meaning "strong, resilient."

Historical references to the surname Yerka show a variation in spelling, including Jurka and Jerka, indicating regional influences and adaptations over time. One of the earliest records comes from a Polish manuscript dated around 1435, where a landowner named Marek Yerka was documented in Krakow. This suggests Yerka families held significant status in their communities.

Throughout the centuries, the Yerka surname started spreading to neighboring regions. In the early 1500s, a record from Prague mentions a craftsman named Tomas Yerka, highlighting the surname's prevalence beyond Poland into the Czech territories. The surname often appeared in guild registrations and municipal records, indicating the social and economic roles people with this surname played.

In the 17th century, Martin Yerka, born in 1621, was a notable figure in the region now known as Belarus. He was a respected figure in Vilnius and documented in several legal texts pertaining to land disputes and local governance.

Coming into the 18th century, one finds prominent records of Jan Yerka, born in 1730 in Warsaw, known for being part of the early movement of printing and publication in Poland. His contributions to Polish literature and local newspapers were well-documented and illustrate the growth of the surname into intellectual and cultural sectors.

Another significant individual was Julius Yerka, a military officer born in 1825 in what is now part of Ukraine but was then considered part of the broader Polish territories. He played a role in the various uprisings against Russian dominion during the late 19th century, ensuring that the name Yerka was associated with patriotism and resilience.

Notably, by the early 20th century, Anna Yerka, born in 1896, emerged as a scholar and educator known for her work in Slavic linguistic studies. She authored several papers and books, contributing significantly to the understanding of Slavic languages and cultures. Her work was widely respected, and she is credited with expanding the academic presence of the surname.

The Yerka surname, therefore, embodies a rich historical tapestry reflective of the cultural and socio-political dynamics within Eastern Europe. Each mention and record of the name tells a story of strength, resilience, and influential contribution to the local and broader community.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yerka

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

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

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

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