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

Yokel, 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 Yokel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yokel in America

Yokel is the 73005th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yokel surname appeared 266 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 Yokel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yokel 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 Yokel

The surname Yokel is believed to have originated in England, possibly during the medieval period. This surname likely shows up in areas with rural settings, where dialectical variations could have played a significant role in the evolution of names. The term "yokel" itself, meaning a rustic or country bumpkin, is derived from the Early Modern English term, though it is crucial to note that as a surname, it may have originated independently of its later slang connotations.

Old records such as parish registers and tax documents from rural English counties may contain early versions of the Yokel surname. These documents, however, are less renowned than compendiums like the Domesday Book, which primarily cataloged students and landholdings rather than surnames.

The earliest recorded examples of the surname Yokel are not prominent in royal or aristocratic registers. One notable individual is John Yokel, who appears in a 1582 land grant document from Yorkshire. Another example is Richard Yokel, born in 1623 in Somerset, who was mentioned in shipping records as a merchant dealing with the West Indies.

In 1687, a record of Anne Yokel, born in 1660 and later married in London, reflects the movement of individuals with this surname from rural to more urban settings. Similarly, the will of Thomas Yokel, written in 1721 in Lancashire, provides insights into the dispersion of the surname across England by the early 18th century.

Rebecca Yokel, born in 1764, became noteworthy for her involvement in local town life in Cornwall; her engagement in community matters provides a glimpse into the lives of women with this surname. Lastly, Edward Yokel, born in 1795, became a known figure in the coastal trade industry, residing primarily in Devon, indicating the surname’s presence in seafaring communities.

The surname Yokel’s history may not have broad aristocratic records, but its presence in various local documents and public records from the 16th century onwards signifies a rich, albeit understated, lineage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yokel

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

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

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

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