2000
#139,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Yoerg
An Americanized spelling of the German surname Jörg.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 119 Americans carry the last name Yoerg. That puts it at #153,590 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,880,289 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Yoerg surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
119
1 in 2,880,289
Census rank
#153,590
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
104
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 104 bearers of the surname Yoerg in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 153590th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Yoerg, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Black (4.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Yoerg
The surname Yoerg originates from Germany, with its roots traceable back to medieval times. It is thought to be a South German variant of the more common surname Jörg, which itself is derived from the given name Georg, stemming from the Greek "Georgios," meaning "farmer" or "earthworker." The areas where the name can be predominantly found include regions such as Bavaria and other parts of Southern Germany. Historical linguistics show similar spellings in these areas, such as Joerg, which points to a common origin.
The name Yoerg was documented in various old records. One of the earliest records of the surname in a variant form can be found in manuscripts from the late 13th century. A pivotal record includes a mention in the Swabian territories, where a Heinrich Jörgen was noted in 1296. Over time, the name evolved in spelling and pronunciation, resulting in the form Yoerg.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name in a more recognizable form appears in the 16th century. Fritz Yoerg, born around 1510 in Bavaria, is recorded as a landowner in historical documents from 1562. This indicates the surname had gained prominence and established familial lines in Southern Germany.
Another noteworthy individual is Hans Yoerg, born in 1592, who served as a local official in the Bavarian region. His contributions to local governance are documented in municipal records from 1630. These records not only provide a glimpse into the historical prevalence of the name but also highlight the involvement of individuals named Yoerg in regional administrative affairs.
In the 18th century, the name Yoerg appeared in the newly formed United States, having been brought over by German immigrants. One such early settler, Johann Yoerg, born in 1729 in Germany, emigrated to America in 1754. He established roots in Pennsylvania and is noted in colonial records around 1771, indicating the spread and endurance of the surname outside Europe.
A notable example from the 19th century is Frank Yoerg, born in 1842, who made a significant impact as a businessman in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He founded the Yoerg Brewing Company in 1880, which became one of the prominent breweries of its time, contributing to the cultural and economic landscape of the region.
Another individual with the surname is Maria Yoerg, born in 1860, known for her charitable work in Bavaria. Her efforts during the late 19th century are documented in local church records, highlighting the philanthropic legacy associated with the surname.
Through these historical instances, the surname Yoerg emerges as a name deeply embedded in Germanic roots, symbolizing a lineage of farmers, local officials, businessmen, and philanthropists. The evolution of the surname, spanning centuries and continents, underscores its rich etymological and historical significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Yoerg
Among Census respondents with the surname Yoerg, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Black (4.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Yoerg bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Yoerg surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.3% · 97
- Black or African American4.8% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Yoerg
Yoerg appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,695 places
2020
#153,590
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-5 bearers (-4.6%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 3,138 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #139,757 | 110 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 10,695 places |
| 2020 | #153,590 | 104 | 0.03 | -5 bearers (-4.6%) | Down 3,138 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Yoerg surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #150,452 | #153,590 | -2.1% |
| Count | 109 | 104 | -4.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Yoerg bearers went from 109 to 104 (-4.6% change). The surname moved down 3,138 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #153,590.
FAQ
Yoerg surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Yoerg?
Name Census estimates that about 119 living Americans carry the surname Yoerg. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,880,289 residents.
How common is Yoerg?
Yoerg ranks #153,590 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 104 people with the surname Yoerg. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (119), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Yoerg.
Has Yoerg become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Yoerg went from 109 recorded bearers to 104. That is a decrease of 5 (-4.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #150,452 to #153,590.
What does the Census say about the background of Yoerg?
Among Census respondents with the surname Yoerg, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Black (4.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Yoerg in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.3% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Yoerg appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.3%), Black (4.8%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Yoerg (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Yoerg mean?
An Americanized spelling of the German surname Jörg. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Yoerg (0.03 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Yoerg?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.