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

Yonkers, 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 Yonkers surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yonkers in America

Yonkers is the 27277th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yonkers surname appeared 886 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 Yonkers.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yonkers 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 Yonkers

The surname Yonkers predominantly originates from the Netherlands. The name is believed to be a derivative of the Dutch word "jonkers," which means "young noble" or "young lord." This term itself is rooted in the Middle Dutch "jonkheer" or “joncker,” meaning a young gentleman of noble birth. It was a title of honor given to the younger sons of noble families who were not in line to inherit the family estate.

The areas where Yonkers was commonly found include the regions of Holland and Utrecht in the Netherlands. The surname has ties to the historical Dutch nobility and was used to denote youthful aristocrats who, while not having major estates, still held certain privileges and status within the feudal system. Over time, the name spread, especially during the Dutch colonial periods when many Dutch individuals emigrated to different parts of the world, such as North America.

The surname appears in various historical records. One of the earliest documented uses of the name was in the form of "Jonkheer," found in medieval charters and property records from the 13th and 14th centuries in the Netherlands. These documents typically referred to the younger members of noble families who were assigned smaller parcels of land or specific roles within the feudal hierarchy.

One of the earliest recorded examples in America is Adriaen van der Donck, referred to as the Jonker, who was born in 1620 and died in 1655. Van der Donck was a prominent figure in the early Dutch colony of New Netherland, now part of the United States. His estate in what is now Yonkers, New York, from which the city takes its name, signifies the geographical spread and influence of people bearing this surname.

Dirck Jonker, born circa 1510, was a Dutch knight whose presence is recorded in several military charters and who played a role in the regional defense structures against various European conflicts. His descendants carried the name through various lineages, many of whom retained noble titles and managed smaller landholdings.

In the 17th century, Jan Jonkers, a notable merchant and shipowner from Amsterdam, bears the surname. His trading ventures extended from Europe to the Caribbean, thus increasing the name's recognition within Dutch maritime history.

Maria Joncker, born 1585, was a noted patron of the arts in the city of Delft. Her contributions include funding several community projects and accommodations for traveling artists, reinforcing the noble connotations associated with the name.

Geertruida Jonkers, born in 1682, was a prominent educator and one of the first female principals of a notable Dutch finishing school for girls in Haarlem. Her contributions to education and the progressive attitudes towards women’s roles in society during that time period also highlight the esteem in which the surname was held.

Overall, the surname Yonkers has deep historical roots in the Netherlands, emanating from noble titles and associated with a variety of influential figures throughout history. The legacy of the Yonkers name encompasses aristocracy, colonization, and notable contributions to society, especially during the medieval and early modern European periods.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yonkers

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

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

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

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