2000
#109,328
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 150
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Yorko
An Anglicized variant of the Slavic surname Yurko or Yurkov.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Yorko. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Yorko 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
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Yorko in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Yorko, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Yorko
The surname Yorko has its origins deeply rooted in Eastern Europe, specifically within the regions that comprise modern-day Ukraine and Poland. The time period when this surname first appeared is likely in the Middle Ages, between the 13th and 15th centuries. The surname Yorko is believed to derive from the given name Yurko, which itself is a diminutive or affectionate form of the name Yuri, the Eastern Slavic form of George. The root of George can be traced back to the Greek name Georgios, meaning farmer or earthworker.
In historical records, early mentions of variants of the name Yorko can be found in church documents, land grants, and tax registers from the 15th century. It also appears in the context of localized landholdings within regions of Eastern Europe, particularly in areas influenced by the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The surname evolved as it was passed down through generations, and its spelling may have been adapted based on phonetic interpretations and regional dialects.
The name Yorko appeared in several manuscripts and records. For example, in the "Lustrum" records of Galicia from the 16th century, where it often cited citizens and landowners. An old version of the name appeared in the 1524 land deed from the Lviv region mentioning Ivan Yurko, thus highlighting the name's presence among the local nobility and significant individuals of that period.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Yorko is found in a 1406 document from the Podolia region, referring to Petro Yorko, a local landowner involved in a boundary dispute. Another noted individual is Andriy Yorko, a 17th-century military leader born around 1620, who played a role in the Khmelnytsky Uprising against Polish rule. His contributions to the military activities of the period left a marked impact on the local history.
In the 18th century, the surname gained prominence through Ivan Yorko, born in 1732, who was a well-known merchant in Kyiv, known for trading various goods across regional borders. His influence in commerce played a substantial role in the local economy. Another notable figure is Mykhailo Yorko, born in 1821, who was a respected academic and contributed significantly to the study of Ukrainian folklore and literature.
Throughout history, several bearers of the surname Yorko have been instrumental in shaping their communities. Maria Yorko, born in 1856, became an accomplished painter whose works are still celebrated in Ukrainian cultural heritage. These individuals and their contributions underscore the surname's historical presence and influence across Eastern European regions.
The surname Yorko, thus, reflects a rich lineage tied to both common folk and notable figures in Eastern Europe. Its evolution over centuries showcases the interplay between local dialects, geographical history, and the socio-political narrative of the regions it hails from.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Yorko
Among Census respondents with the surname Yorko, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Yorko 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 Yorko surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.5% · 107
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 4
- Two or more races2.6% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Yorko
Yorko 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
#124,548
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 138
-12 bearers (-8.0%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 15,220 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
-21 bearers (-15.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 19,722 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #109,328 | 150 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #124,548 | 138 | 0.05 | -12 bearers (-8.0%) | Down 15,220 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | -21 bearers (-15.2%) | Down 19,722 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 Yorko 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 | #124,548 | #144,270 | -15.8% |
| Count | 138 | 117 | -15.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -21.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Yorko bearers went from 138 to 117 (-15.2% change). The surname moved down 19,722 positions in the national ranking, going from #124,548 to #144,270.
FAQ
Yorko surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Yorko?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Yorko. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Yorko?
Yorko ranks #144,270 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 117 people with the surname Yorko. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), 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 Yorko.
Has Yorko become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Yorko went from 138 recorded bearers to 117. That is a decrease of 21 (-15.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #124,548 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Yorko?
Among Census respondents with the surname Yorko, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Yorko in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.5% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Yorko appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.5%), Hispanic (3.4%), Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Yorko (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 Yorko mean?
An Anglicized variant of the Slavic surname Yurko or Yurkov. 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 Yorko (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 share the surname Yorko?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.