Yocca last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Yocca

An Italian surname meaning "spade" from the gardening and farming tools.

Yocca, 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 Yocca surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yocca in America

Yocca is the 91981st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yocca surname appeared 200 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 Yocca.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yocca 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 91981 93006 -1.11%
Count 200 183 8.88%
Proportion per 100k 0.07 0.07 0.00%

The history of the last name Yocca

The surname Yocca appears to have origins rooted in Italy, most likely emerging in the regions of Southern Italy around the late Middle Ages, possibly from the 13th to 15th centuries. The name Yocca may derive from the Italian word "giocca," meaning a bush or a shrub, generally indicating someone who lived near a bushy or forested area. It is also conceivable that Yocca could be derived from a place name in Italy; however, specific old records confirming a place of this exact name haven't been found.

Old manuscripts and civic records from Southern Italy, notably from regions such as Calabria and Campania, sometimes contain variations in the spelling of Yocca, such as Joca or Jocca. Historical references to related forms of the name can be found in land and property records from the 16th century, which trace the land ownership and household movements in these regions.

The earliest recorded example of Yocca appears in a baptismal record from the 1500s in a small town near Naples. Angelo Yocca, born in 1584, is noted in these records and appears to have been a prominent local farmer. These early records often detail the agricultural lifestyle of the families bearing the name, emphasizing their ties to the land and the rural economy.

Another significant figure is Giovanni Yocca, a minor nobleman documented in the late 17th century who played a role in local governance in a village in Calabria. Records from 1689 show Giovanni Yocca as a tax collector, indicating the family's elevation in social status over time.

Maria Yocca, born in 1731, is noted for her remarkable skills as a midwife in Campania. Her contributions to local communities are recorded in various legal documents and letters from the 18th century, which praise her expertise and dedication to her practice.

Antonio Yocca, born in 1802, was a revolutionary during the tumultuous period of Italian unification in the mid-19th century. Having participated in the uprisings of 1848, Antonio's name appears in several accounts of political meetings and revolts against Bourbon rule in Southern Italy.

Catherine Yocca, born in 1856 and emigrated to the United States during the late 19th century, represents a wave of migration that saw many Italians seeking better opportunities abroad. Catherine's name appears in passenger lists from ships arriving in New York, highlighting how the Yocca name began to spread beyond its Italian origin.

The significance of the Yocca surname lies in its humble beginnings and its ability to adapt and thrive through centuries, reflecting in historical records that chart the migration, occupation, and societal contributions of its bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yocca

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

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 Yocca was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 98.50% 197
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 0.00% 0
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

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 Yocca has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 98.50% 98.36% 0.14%
Black (S)% 0.00% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races 0.00% (S)% (S)%
Hispanic (S)% (S)% (S)%

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

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

Reference this page

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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!

"Yocca last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/yocca-surname-popularity/.

"Yocca last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/yocca-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

Yocca last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/yocca-surname-popularity/.

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