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

Yoss, 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 Yoss surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yoss in America

Yoss is the 53538th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yoss surname appeared 386 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 Yoss.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yoss 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 Yoss

The surname Yoss is believed to have originated in the German-speaking regions of Europe, likely during the medieval period. The name may have roots in the region of Bavaria or neighboring Austria, where surnames began to be used more commonly between the 13th and 15th centuries. In these areas, the name Yoss could have developed as a short form or a diminutive of given names such as Jodocus or Josse, which themselves derive from the Latin name Jodocus meaning "lord".

In historical records, the surname Yoss appears relatively infrequently, which suggests it may have been a name of lesser commonality. One of the earliest known references to a form of this surname can be found in a Bavarian manuscript dating back to the early 14th century, mentioning a Johannes Yoss. This reference possibly indicates a clerical or tenancy record, as surnames during this period often signified land ownership or occupation.

The surname also appeared in various spellings over time, influenced by regional dialects and phonetic spellings. For example, records from 16th-century Alemannia—comprising parts of present-day Switzerland and Germany—mention individuals with names such as Jos, Joss, and Yos, which are considered variations of the surname Yoss.

Andreas Yoss is one example of an individual bearing this name in historical records, noted as a resident of Zurich in the 17th century. He was recorded as a merchant involved in the local textile trade. Another noteworthy figure is Matthias Yoss, an 18th-century scholar from the University of Tübingen, recognized for his contributions to early modern philosophy.

In the 19th century, roughly during the period of the Napoleonic Wars, records mention an Anna Maria Yoss, born in Vienna in 1790, who became known for her charitable work and involvement in local religious communities. There was also a Johann Yoss, born in 1825 in Bavaria, who later emigrated to the United States and became a farmer, illustrating the movement of people and the surname's spread.

Lastly, the historical records mention a Georg Yoss, born in 1883 in Dresden, who became an inventor and held several patents related to early electrical engineering. His innovations were noted in technical journals of the early 20th century, demonstrating the name's presence in both academia and industry.

Throughout these historical periods, the surname Yoss remained relatively scarce but carried by individuals who made notable contributions to their respective fields and communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yoss

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

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

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

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