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

Yirka, 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 Yirka surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yirka in America

Yirka is the 159712th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yirka surname appeared 101 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 Yirka.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yirka 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 Yirka

The surname Yirka is primarily of Eastern European origin, specifically from the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The name likely emerged in the medieval period, around the 12th and 13th centuries, when surnames began to become hereditary. The geographical areas associated with Yirka are mainly rural communities in the regions of Bohemia and Moravia in the Czech lands.

The name Yirka is believed to be a diminutive form of the Czech given name Jirka, which itself is a pet form of Jiří, the Czech version of George. The name Jiří derives from the Greek name Georgios, meaning farmer or earthworker. The suffix -ka in Czech is often a diminutive, indicating affection or familiarity.

Historical references to the surname Yirka are relatively sparse, but there are a few notable mentions. In the archives of the city of Brno, an important market town in Moravia, there is a record from the year 1385 of a Jakob Yirka who owned land in the area. This indicates that individuals with this surname were landowners and played a role in their local communities.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name in a formal document is found in a 15th-century tax register in the town of Olomouc, another significant town in Moravia. Jan Yirka is listed as a merchant who paid dues to the local lord. This register dates to 1482, highlighting the surname's lengthy presence in the region.

Throughout history, there have been several notable people with the surname Yirka. For instance, Václav Yirka, born in 1587 and died in 1645, was a prominent figure in the Hussite Wars. As an officer, he played a significant role in the Protestant military efforts against the Catholic Habsburgs.

In more recent centuries, František Yirka, born in 1812 and died in 1879, gained recognition as a botanist and fervent supporter of Czech nationalism during the Austrian Empire's domination of the region. His work contributed significantly to the understanding of Bohemian flora.

Antonín Yirka, born in 1849 and died in 1915, was another noteworthy individual. An accomplished composer, he significantly influenced Czech folk music and contributed to the preservation of traditional Moravian songs.

In the early 20th century, Josef Yirka, born in 1872 and died in 1933, emerged as a key political figure advocating for Czech independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. His diplomatic efforts were crucial in the years leading up to the formation of Czechoslovakia in 1918.

Finally, during the Second World War, Karel Yirka, born in 1901 and died in 1944, was a resistance fighter against the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia. His bravery and leadership in the resistance movement were posthumously recognized by the Czechoslovak government.

The surname Yirka, with its roots in Eastern European history, carries a legacy of agrarian beginnings, national pride, and contributions to various societal facets throughout centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yirka

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

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

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

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