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

Yisrael, 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 Yisrael surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yisrael in America

Yisrael is the 41038th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yisrael surname appeared 531 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 Yisrael.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yisrael 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 Yisrael

The surname Yisrael has deep roots in the ancient Near East, specifically originating from the Hebrew culture. The name Yisrael itself is derived from the Hebrew name "ישראל" (Yisra'el), which translates to "God contends" or "He who struggles with God." This etymology can be traced back to the Biblical patriarch Jacob, who was given the name Yisrael after wrestling with an angel of God, a story found in the Book of Genesis.

The earliest references to the name Yisrael can be found in ancient Biblical texts, making it one of the oldest surnames with a definite origin and meaning rooted in religious and historical context. While not originally a surname, the term evolved into a family name over centuries, especially among Jewish communities who wanted to emphasize their spiritual lineage and heritage.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Yisrael became increasingly utilized as a family surname among Jewish diasporas scattered through Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Jewish records from communities in Spain, Poland, and the Ottoman Empire often cite the surname Yisrael, reflecting the widespread adoption of this distinguished name. For instance, a notable Jewish scholar in the 12th century, Yitzhak Yisrael, contributed significantly to Jewish thought during the Golden Age of Jewish culture in Spain.

By the 17th century, the surname Yisrael was documented in multiple Jewish records across various European nations. Rabbi Menachem Mendel Yisrael (1620-1690), a prominent rabbi in Lithuania, is one of the earliest recorded individuals whose works and teachings have been preserved in historical documents. His influence extended well into the 18th century, shaping the religious scholarship of the region.

As the 18th and 19th centuries unfolded, the name Yisrael became particularly prominent amidst Jewish intellectual circles in Eastern Europe. Rabbi Jacob Yisrael Emden (1697-1776), also known as Ya'avetz, was a key figure during this period, known for his works on Jewish law and his opposition to the Sabbatean movement. His extensive writings and correspondence with other scholars provide ample historical references to the surname.

In the early 20th century, the surname Yisrael appeared in records of Jewish immigrants arriving in the United States and other countries, fleeing persecution or seeking better opportunities. For example, Chaim Yisrael (1880-1943), an immigrant from Eastern Europe, became a community leader in New York, significantly contributing to the local Jewish community's development and preservation of cultural identity.

The surname Yisrael continued to resonate with Jewish identity and heritage through the generations, finding its way into various historical records and familial archives. Its ancient origins, coupled with a rich history spanning millennia, highlight the enduring importance of the surname throughout Jewish history and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yisrael

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!