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

Yosten, 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 Yosten surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yosten in America

Yosten is the 59901st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yosten surname appeared 337 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 Yosten.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yosten 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 Yosten

The surname Yosten is believed to have its origins in the regions of Germany and the Low Countries, which today encompass parts of modern Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The name likely dates back to the medieval period, around the 12th to 14th centuries. It is a patronymic name, meaning it was derived from the given name of a father or ancestor. The name Yosten appears to be related to the personal name Justus, which itself has Latin roots and means "just" or "righteous."

One of the earliest references to the name or its variants can be found in medieval German records. During this period, names were often recorded phonetically, which led to a variety of spellings. The name Yosten might have appeared as Josten, Yost, or Joosten in these records. For instance, a manuscript dating back to the 13th century in the Rhineland mentions a Johan Joosten, indicating the potentially diverse spellings and regional usages of the name.

In terms of historical references, the name Yosten or its variants appear sporadically in various medieval documents, such as tax rolls, land grants, and church records. One notable example is the mention of Heinrich Joosten in a 15th-century tax record for the Hanseatic city of Lübeck. This region was a bustling trade hub during the Hanseatic League's prominence, which could explain the spread and variation of the surname.

The surname's evolution over the centuries saw it bear different forms, conforming to local dialects and linguistic shifts. A German nobleman named Wilhelm von Joosten (circa 1500-1560) was known for his contributions to early Protestant movements in Bavaria. His name is a testament to the surname's adaptation to different spellings while maintaining its core etymological roots.

The name also found prominence in the 17th century with the record of Pieter Yosten, a Dutch merchant who was active in the trade routes between Amsterdam and the Baltic states. His name was recorded in the guild archives of Amsterdam, which cataloged the merchants and their trading activities during that period. This implies the surname's expansion beyond its original Germanic roots into the wider European trading networks.

Another significant historical figure bearing the surname was Maria Elizabeth Yosten, born around 1730 in the Austrian Netherlands, now part of modern Belgium. She was an influential figure in local education reform and known for her writings on societal issues of her time. Her works shed light on the socio-cultural pedigree associated with the surname during the Enlightenment.

In conclusion, the surname Yosten has traversed regional and linguistic boundaries since its inception in medieval Germany and the Low Countries. Notable individuals bearing the name, such as Johan Joosten, Heinrich Joosten, Wilhelm von Joosten, Pieter Yosten, and Maria Elizabeth Yosten, mark its presence in historical records spanning several centuries. Each individual contributed to the rich tapestry of the surname’s legacy, illustrating its enduring nature and adaptability through time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yosten

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

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

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

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