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

Yonak, 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 Yonak surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yonak in America

Yonak is the 149395th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yonak surname appeared 110 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 Yonak.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yonak 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 Yonak

The surname Yonak likely originates from Eastern Europe, with early records suggesting ties to regions that now span modern-day Ukraine, Poland, and Slovakia. The name possibly emerged around the late medieval period, approximately the 14th or 15th century. Variants in spelling such as Jonak, Ionak, or Janak might be observed in older documents, reflecting regional linguistic influences and the fluidity of medieval orthography.

Etymologically, Yonak could derive from a given name or a nickname. The root could be traced to the Slavic given name Jan, equivalent to John in English, often appearing in various diminutive or affectionate forms. This transformation of the given name into a surname was common in Slavic cultures as societies shifted towards the use of family names for the purposes of taxation and legal jurisdiction.

Historical records show the surname in various forms. For instance, a 16th-century manuscript from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth lists a certain Mikolaj Jonak, a minor noble from the Lublin region, known for his allegiance to the emerging Commonwealth structures. Similarly, parish records from Eastern Slovakia in the late 1600s mention a Vasilij Janak, a local landowner involved in agricultural activities.

The Bardejov city archives from the early 18th century document a notable figure, Jan Yonak (1692-1753), a prominent merchant who contributed to the town’s vibrant marketplace and its foreign trade links. His descendants continued to play significant roles in regional commerce, cementing the family’s socio-economic status.

In the mid-19th century, another influential figure emerged: Stefánia Yonak (1821-1884), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's education in Galicia. Her efforts helped establish the first school for girls in her locality, significantly impacting the cultural and intellectual development in the region.

Lastly, Marko Yonak (1876-1942), an early 20th-century political activist, gained prominence for his resistance against Austro-Hungarian rule. His leadership in organizing local resistance groups made him a folk hero among Slovak nationalists, documented extensively in regional history books.

The surname Yonak encapsulates a rich heritage, reflecting the social and historical tapestry of Eastern Europe. Tracing back to its roots, it reveals a lineage of individuals who contributed to the multifaceted cultural and socio-political milieu of their times.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yonak

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

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

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

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