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

Yockey, 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 Yockey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yockey in America

Yockey is the 15262nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yockey surname appeared 1,925 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Yockey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yockey 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 Yockey

The surname Yockey has its origin in Germany, and its roots can be traced back to the medieval period. The name likely evolved in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony, areas known for their rich linguistic heritage. Yockey is thought to be derived from the Middle High German word “joch,” meaning yoke, which was an essential piece of farming equipment used in plowing fields. This suggests that the name may have originally been an occupational surname for someone who made or used yokes.

The earliest recorded instances of surnames similar to Yockey appear in various medieval manuscripts and tax records. An example includes the appearance of the name Joachim, a derivative of the same root, in the Codex Manesse of the 14th century. Surnames were often fluid during these times, leading to various spellings and adaptations depending on regional dialects and local customs.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the spelling Yockey can be traced back to Johann Yockey, born in 1575 in Saxony. This record suggests that the name had already undergone significant transformation from its original forms by the Late Renaissance period. Johann Yockey was noted in local tax records as a landowner, indicating the transition of surnames from occupational usage to family lineage identifiers.

During the 18th century, George Yockey, born in 1732, was notable for establishing a successful milling business in Bavaria. His contributions to local industry were significant enough that his name appears in regional business registries and guild documents of the era. The Yockey surname thus gained recognition not only for its agricultural origins but also for its association with commerce and trade.

In the early 19th century, Heinrich Yockey, born in 1811, emigrated to the United States and settled in Pennsylvania. As a pioneer, Heinrich contributed to the burgeoning communities by bringing German agricultural techniques to the American frontier. His name appears in various immigration records and land deeds, underscoring the spread of the Yockey surname beyond its Germanic roots.

Perhaps one of the more famous bearers of the Yockey surname was Francis Parker Yockey, born in 1917, in Chicago, Illinois. He was a political philosopher and author who wrote the influential book "Imperium: The Philosophy of History and Politics" in 1948. Francis Parker Yockey's work garnered attention for its controversial viewpoints and has been the subject of extensive study within historical and political science circles.

The evolution of the Yockey surname reflects not only the linguistic shifts within German-speaking regions but also the migration patterns and occupational changes over centuries. The name's journey from medieval Bavaria to modern-day prominence showcases the dynamic nature of surnames and their ability to carry historical narratives across generations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yockey

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

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

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

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