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

Yi, 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 Yi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yi in America

Yi is the 2011th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yi surname appeared 17,934 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Yi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yi 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 Yi

Yi is a Chinese surname that originated from China. The name can be traced back to the Shang Dynasty, which ruled from around 1600 BC to 1046 BC. It was originally a clan name derived from the ancient state of Yi, located in present-day Shandong Province.

The name Yi has been associated with several notable figures throughout Chinese history. One of the earliest recorded instances is Yi Yin, a wise minister who served under the Shang Dynasty ruler Tang of Shang in the 16th century BC. Another prominent figure was Yi Zhi, a renowned scholar and philosopher during the Spring and Autumn period (770-476 BC).

During the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), the name Yi was particularly prevalent among the aristocracy and literary circles. Yi Xing, a renowned Buddhist monk, mathematician, and astronomer, lived from 683 to 727 AD and made significant contributions to the development of Chinese astronomy and calendar systems.

In the realm of literature, Yi Jingming, a Tang Dynasty poet, was known for his innovative and influential style. He lived from 766 to 828 AD and was part of the renowned literary circle known as the "Eight Immortal Poets of the Tang Dynasty."

Moving forward to the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), Yi Longji, also known as Emperor Taizu of Song, was the founder of the dynasty. He reigned from 960 to 976 AD and played a pivotal role in reunifying China after a period of political fragmentation.

Throughout the centuries, the Yi surname has been associated with various regions in China, particularly in the provinces of Shandong, Henan, and Hebei. The name has also appeared in numerous historical records, including local genealogies, imperial archives, and literary works, further attesting to its long-standing presence in Chinese cultural and historical narratives.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yi

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

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

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

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