2010
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Yonkey
A variant spelling of the English surname "Young" indicating youth or being a younger son.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Yonkey. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Yonkey 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Yonkey in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Yonkey, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (12.1%) and Black (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Yonkey
The surname Yonkey appears to have its origins in Northern Europe, specifically the regions of Germany and the Netherlands. Emerging in the late medieval period, the name is thought to derive from the Middle Dutch word "jonkheer," which was a title used for young noblemen or squires. Over time, the spelling and pronunciation of the name varied due to regional dialects and the evolution of language.
In historical records, variations of Yonkey can be seen in several manuscripts and legal documents from the late 16th and early 17th centuries. For example, a document from 1594 mentions a Johan Jonkheer in the Netherlands. Subsequently, pilgrims and settlers who migrated to the New World brought this surname with them, adapting it to local dialects and spellings.
One of the earliest known instances of Yonkey in America can be traced back to the early 18th century. In 1725, the name appears in the land records of Pennsylvania, where Jacob Yonkey, an early settler of Dutch descent, is listed. Jacob Yonkey's descendants played a significant role in the local community, establishing farms and contributing to the rural economy of the area.
Another notable figure bearing the surname was Wilhelm Yonkey, born in 1745 in what is today Germany. He was an educator and theologian who published several works on Christian philosophy. By the time of his death in 1810, Yonkey had gained a reputation for his writing and teachings, influencing many in European academic circles.
In the United States, Daniel Yonkey, born in 1820, emerged as a significant personality during the 19th century. He served as a lieutenant in the Union Army during the Civil War, demonstrating bravery and leadership in several key battles. Post-war, Daniel became an influential figure in Ohio's political landscape, advocating for veterans' rights and contributing to the state's development.
In more modern history, Martha Yonkey (1863-1929) became a prominent suffragist and social reformer. Living in New York City, she worked alongside notable leaders of the Women's Suffrage Movement, passionately advocating for women's voting rights and social equality. Martha's efforts helped to bring about substantial changes in the early 20th century.
Another individual of note is Michael Yonkey, born in 1885 in Iowa. As a first-generation American of Dutch-German descent, Michael made significant contributions to agricultural science. He authored numerous papers on farming techniques and soil conservation, which earned him recognition as an expert in his field. He continued his work until his death in 1957, leaving behind a legacy of innovation and progress in American agriculture.
Throughout its history, the surname Yonkey has been borne by individuals who have left a mark in various professional and social endeavors, reflecting the diverse contributions of those who carried this distinctive name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Yonkey
Among Census respondents with the surname Yonkey, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (12.1%) and Black (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Yonkey 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 Yonkey surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.0% · 92
- Hispanic or Latino12.1% · 13
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Yonkey
Yonkey appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-2 bearers (-1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,187 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.8%) | Down 1,187 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 Yonkey 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 | #151,639 | -0.8% |
| Count | 109 | 107 | -1.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Yonkey bearers went from 109 to 107 (-1.8% change). The surname moved down 1,187 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #151,639.
FAQ
Yonkey surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Yonkey?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Yonkey. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Yonkey?
Yonkey ranks #151,639 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 107 people with the surname Yonkey. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Yonkey.
Has Yonkey become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Yonkey went from 109 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #150,452 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Yonkey?
Among Census respondents with the surname Yonkey, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (12.1%) and Black (0.9%). 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 Yonkey in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.0% (92 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Yonkey appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.0%), Hispanic (12.1%), Black (0.9%). 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 Yonkey (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 Yonkey mean?
A variant spelling of the English surname "Young" indicating youth or being a younger son. 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 Yonkey (0.04 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 people have the last name Yonkey?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Yonkey on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.