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

Yost, 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 Yost surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yost in America

Yost is the 1869th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yost surname appeared 19,210 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname Yost.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yost 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 Yost

The surname Yost has its origins in the German and Dutch languages, with the earliest records of the name dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated from the medieval German personal name "Judocus" or "Jodocus," which is derived from the Old German words "ged" and "hug," meaning "blessed" and "mind" or "soul," respectively.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Yost can be found in the Codex Traditionum Corbeiensium, a medieval manuscript from the 9th century that records the names of landowners in the region of Westphalia, Germany. The name appears as "Iudocus" and is listed among other landowners in the area.

The name Yost also appears in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of land ownership in England compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. Here, the name is recorded as "Iudichel," which is believed to be a variant spelling of the same name.

By the 16th century, the name had spread across various regions of Germany and the Low Countries, with variations in spelling such as "Yost," "Jost," "Joost," and "Jost." Notable individuals with this surname during this period include Johannes Yost (1539-1617), a German theologian and reformer, and Joost van den Vondel (1587-1679), a renowned Dutch poet and playwright.

In the 17th century, the name began to appear in North America as German and Dutch immigrants settled in various colonies. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of Hans Yost, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1682. Another notable figure from this period is Isaac Yost (1745-1814), a Pennsylvanian farmer and soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War.

As the name spread across different regions and cultures, various spelling variations emerged, such as "Youst," "Yaust," and "Jauss." Some notable individuals with these variations include John Youst (1788-1871), a member of the Virginia House of Delegates, and Michael Yaust (1796-1872), a German-American farmer and politician in Pennsylvania.

Throughout its history, the surname Yost has been associated with various professions, including theology, literature, politics, and military service. While its origins can be traced back to medieval Germany, the name has since become widespread across various parts of the world, reflecting the diverse migration patterns and cultural influences that have shaped its evolution over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yost

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

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

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

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