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

Yerkey, 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 Yerkey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yerkey in America

Yerkey is the 43006th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yerkey surname appeared 503 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 Yerkey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yerkey 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 Yerkey

The surname Yerkey has its origins in medieval England, specifically from the period following the Norman Conquest in 1066. This surname was most commonly found in the northern regions of England, with variations appearing in records from Yorkshire and Lancashire. The name is believed to be an anglicized form of the Norman-French surname Yorke, which itself is derived from the Old Scandinavian name Jórvík, the Viking name for the city of York.

The linguistic evolution of the name traces back to Jórvík, which translates to “wild boar settlement.” As Norse Vikings settled in the area, their language influenced local pronunciations and spellings. Over time, the name gradually transformed through several variations such as Yerk and Yerke before settling on the spelling Yerkey in later centuries.

One of the earliest historical references to a name similar to Yerkey is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was commissioned by William the Conqueror to survey his new kingdom. In this book, the name Jurc or Jork appears, reflecting a potential early ancestor or a related form of the name.

One notable individual with a variant of the surname is Robert Yorke (1614-1679), an English earl who held significant influence in the Court of Charles II. Records from the 17th century show a man named Thomas Yerkes (1627-1684), a descendant of the Normans who had settled in Wales. While his name is not exactly Yerkey, it is a closely related variant that demonstrates the linguistic evolution of the surname.

In the 18th century, a notable figure with the surname Yerkey was George Yerkey (1760-1822), who was a merchant and landowner in the region of Lancashire. George's family records show his involvement in the wool trade, which was a central industry in England at the time, indicating that the Yerkey name was associated with economic activity and regional commerce.

Another early example is James Yerkey (1798-1867), who emigrated to the United States in the early 19th century seeking new opportunities. James settled in Pennsylvania, where various documents such as land ownership records and census registrations list him and his descendants, thereby extending the reach of the surname.

In more recent centuries, a prominent bearer of the surname was Dr. Emily Yerkey (1885-1952), who made a name for herself in the field of medical science. She was one of the first women to graduate from the University of Edinburgh Medical School and contributed significantly to early 20th-century advancements in public health.

The Yerkey surname thus has a rich and varied history that spans several centuries and geographic locations, from its roots in medieval England to its presence in America. Each historical reference and notable individual adds depth to our understanding of the name's evolution and significance through the ages.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yerkey

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

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

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

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