2000
#17,884
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,443
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.53
Rare Last name
Yorke
An English habitational surname derived from the Yorkshire region of England.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,876 Americans carry the last name Yorke. That puts it at #16,978 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.55 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 182,705 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Yorke 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Yorke with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
1.9K
1 in 182,705
Census rank
#16,978
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,636 bearers of the surname Yorke in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.55 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 16978th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Yorke, the largest self-reported group is White at 68.8%. The next largest groups are Black (23.7%) and Hispanic (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Yorke
The surname Yorke originated in England, dating back to the medieval period. It chiefly derives from the Old English word "Eoforwic," which evolved into "Eboracum" under Roman influence and eventually became known as "York." The name is regionally associated with the county of Yorkshire, which lies in Northeastern England. People bearing the surname Yorke were typically from this region or had roots in it.
The name Yorke appeared in historical manuscripts as early as the Domesday Book of 1086, recording it as "Eurewic." This early reference indicated its connection to the city of York. Variations in spelling were common during this time, and Yorke was frequently spelled as York or Yorck in different documents, showcasing the fluidity of medieval English orthography.
One of the earliest recorded bearers of the surname was Sir Richard Yorke, born in 1430 and passed away in 1498. He served as Lord Mayor of the City of London in 1483. Sir Richard Yorke epitomized the prominence of the family in both local and national affairs during the late 15th century.
Another significant historical figure attached to this surname was Thomas Yorke, born in 1606 and known to have died in 1668. Thomas was an English merchant and politician who represented the city of Bristol in the House of Commons during the 17th century. His influence in commercial and political spheres further cemented the surname's association with significant socio-economic activities.
Elizabeth Yorke, born in 1725 and died in 1800, was yet another distinguished individual. She became known as Lady Elizabeth Anson after her marriage and was a notable figure in British social circles. Her prominence in elite society underpinned the continuation of the name's status across centuries.
Philip Yorke, 1st Earl of Hardwicke, born in 1690 and died in 1764, was an influential British lawyer and politician. As Lord Chancellor from 1737 to 1756, Philip Yorke's legal reforms were instrumental in shaping British jurisprudence. His achievements in law and governance highlighted the surname's association with public service and dedication to the legal profession.
Lastly, Nigel Yorke, born in the mid-20th century though specific birth and death dates are somewhat ambiguous, became a renowned figure in academic circles. His studies on medieval English history contributed significantly to the documentation and preservation of British heritage.
In summary, the history of the Yorke surname is rich with cultural and historical significance, rooted in the ancient city of York and closely tied to various distinguished individuals throughout centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Yorke
Among Census respondents with the surname Yorke, the largest self-reported group is White at 68.8%. The next largest groups are Black (23.7%) and Hispanic (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Yorke 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 Yorke surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White68.8% · 1,126
- Black or African American23.7% · 388
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 56
- Two or more races3.1% · 50
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 12
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Yorke
Yorke appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#17,745
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,579
+136 bearers (+9.4%)
Per 100,000 0.54
Rank movement Up 139 places
2020
#16,978
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,636
+57 bearers (+3.6%)
Per 100,000 0.55
Rank movement Up 767 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #17,884 | 1,443 | 0.53 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #17,745 | 1,579 | 0.54 | +136 bearers (+9.4%) | Up 139 places |
| 2020 | #16,978 | 1,636 | 0.55 | +57 bearers (+3.6%) | Up 767 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 Yorke 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 | #17,745 | #16,978 | 4.3% |
| Count | 1,579 | 1,636 | 3.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.54 | 0.55 | 1.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Yorke bearers went from 1,579 to 1,636 (+3.6% change). The surname moved up 767 positions in the national ranking, going from #17,745 to #16,978.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Yorke
FAQ
Yorke surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Yorke?
Name Census estimates that about 1,876 living Americans carry the surname Yorke. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 182,705 residents.
How common is Yorke?
Yorke ranks #16,978 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.55 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,636 people with the surname Yorke. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,876), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.55 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.55 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Yorke.
Has Yorke become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Yorke went from 1,579 recorded bearers to 1,636. That is an increase of 57 (+3.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #17,745 to #16,978.
What does the Census say about the background of Yorke?
Among Census respondents with the surname Yorke, the largest self-reported group is White at 68.8%. The next largest groups are Black (23.7%) and Hispanic (3.4%). 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 Yorke in the 2020 Census, accounting for 68.8% (1,126 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Yorke appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (68.8%), Black (23.7%), Hispanic (3.4%). 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 Yorke (2000, 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 Yorke mean?
An English habitational surname derived from the Yorkshire region of England. 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 Yorke (0.55 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 surname Yorke?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.