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

Yohey, 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 Yohey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yohey in America

Yohey is the 68122nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yohey surname appeared 289 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 Yohey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yohey 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 Yohey

The surname Yohey is believed to have originated in Japan during the Edo period, which spanned from 1603 to 1868. The name Yohey may derive from the Japanese given name Yohei, which combines "yo" meaning "many" or "abundance" and "hei" meaning "flat" or "peace." It is common for surnames in Japan to evolve from given names, with slight modifications in kanji characters contributing to surname variations. Areas where this surname was initially prevalent include rural regions of Honshu, Japan's largest island, where families often took on unique names related to geographic characteristics or ancestor's names.

Historically, the name Yohey appeared in various regional records during Japan's feudal era. For instance, during the Meiji Restoration (1868-1912), which was a time of significant social upheaval and modernization in Japan, surnames became mandatory for all citizens, leading to the formal documentation of surnames like Yohey in municipal records. Documents from this period, such as early census data and family registries, frequently recorded names following the new legal requirements.

The earliest recorded example of the name is traced back to the local government archives of the early 18th century in Kyoto, where a family named Yohey was registered for land ownership. Kyoto was a central hub of Japanese cultural and administrative activity, and the Yohey family's presence there indicates their potential involvement in agriculture or local trade.

One notable figure bearing the surname Yohey was Yohey Nakamura, born in 1782 and dying in 1859, a master craftsman known for his intricate lacquerware, which was sought after by both local and international clients. Another prominent individual was Yohey Fujita, an influential merchant from Edo (modern-day Tokyo) born in 1833, who played a significant role in the silk trade during the Bakumatsu period leading up to the Meiji Restoration.

Yohey Tanaka, born in 1865 and a contemporary of early industrialization in Japan, made a name for himself in the early railroad industry, contributing to the development of Japan's railway infrastructure. Around the same period, Yohey Suzuki, born in 1878, gained recognition as a scholar specializing in classical Japanese literature and poetry, publishing several works that enriched the cultural tapestry of his time.

In the 20th century, a figure of historical interest was Yohey Ito, born in 1901 and dying in 1980, an artist and calligrapher who became known for his avant-garde interpretations of traditional Japanese ink painting. His works are still celebrated in major Japanese art museums today.

The surname Yohey, though not exceedingly common, carries a rich and variegated history reflecting Japan's complex cultural and social transformations from the Edo period to modern times. The individuals who bore this name each contributed uniquely to the fields of craftsmanship, trade, infrastructure, scholarship, and art, thereby weaving their legacy into the enduring fabric of Japanese history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yohey

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

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

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

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