Yoe last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Yoe

A surname originating from a rare Old English word meaning "yew tree".

Yoe, 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 Yoe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yoe in America

Yoe is the 42579th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yoe surname appeared 509 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 Yoe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yoe 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 42579 44273 -3.90%
Count 509 458 10.55%
Proportion per 100k 0.17 0.17 0.00%

The history of the last name Yoe

The surname Yoe originates from England, with its roots tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from an Old English antecedent, possibly linked to the word "eow," which means "ewe" or a female sheep. This could suggest that the surname had pastoral origins, perhaps referring to someone who tended sheep.

The name Yoe appears in various old records and manuscripts. One of the earliest references is found in Yorkshire, where the name was recorded in the Poll Tax records of 1379. This document lists individuals taxed under the reign of King Richard II, providing valuable insight into medieval English surnames.

During the 14th century, variations of the surname such as Yowe or Yow were also commonly found. These variations point to regional dialects and the fluidity of spelling in an era before standardization. In some cases, Yoe could have derived from a place name, though records specific to a location called Yoe are scant.

One notable individual bearing the surname Yoe is Thomas Yoe, who served as a bailiff in Lancaster in the early 17th century. This indicates that the name had spread and become established in different parts of England by that time. Another prominent historical figure is John Yoe, a merchant listed in London trade records during the late 16th century, signifying the name's presence in urban centers.

In 1800, the name appears in the United States with the arrival of William Yoe, an English immigrant who settled in Maryland. He became known for his involvement in local community affairs and contributed to the establishment of early American institutions.

Another significant person with this surname is Charles Yoe, born in 1822, who gained recognition as a farmer and local politician in Kentucky. His contributions to agricultural development and local governance left a lasting impact on the region.

By the late 19th century, Thomas Yoe became notable as a missionary working in China, exemplifying the global spread of the name and its bearers' involvement in various professions.

Throughout history, the surname Yoe has been associated with pastoral origins, trade, civic duty, and missionary work. Its evolution reflects both the migration patterns and the diverse roles played by individuals bearing this name across centuries and continents.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yoe

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

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 Yoe was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 59.72% 304
Non-Hispanic Black Only 2.16% 11
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 15.32% 78
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 19.25% 98
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 1.77% 9
Hispanic Origin 1.77% 9

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

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 59.72% 66.38% -10.56%
Black 2.16% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 15.32% 11.35% 29.77%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 19.25% 18.12% 6.05%
Two or More Races 1.77% (S)% (S)%
Hispanic 1.77% 1.97% -10.70%

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Yoe, 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!

"Yoe last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 4, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/yoe-surname-popularity/.

"Yoe last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/yoe-surname-popularity/. Accessed 4 December, 2024

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

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