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

Youel, 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 Youel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Youel in America

Youel is the 103181st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Youel surname appeared 174 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 Youel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Youel 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 Youel

The surname Youel is believed to have its origins in Scotland, potentially emerging sometime in the medieval period. It is largely considered to be a variation or derivative of the name Yule or Yuill, which itself has connections to the Old English word "geol," meaning "the festivities at the turn of the year," or the Old Norse "jól," meaning the pagan midwinter festival celebrated by the Norse people. This festive connection hints at the name's association with a specific time of year or celebration, perhaps indicative of family roles or trades linked to this season.

Early records of the name Youel can trace back to areas known for variations of the name Yule or Yuill, predominantly situated in the Scottish Lowlands. These regions included historic counties such as Ayrshire and Lanarkshire, which were known for their rich historical tapestries and tight-knit communities. Manuscripts from the period, such as parish registers and old tax records, would often include various spellings of the name, sometimes causing confusion among genealogists.

One of the earliest documented references to a variant of this name is found in the 13th century with "John Yhole" appearing in the records of the Abbey of Kelso in 1296. As spelling was not standardized during this period, the variations could reflect phonetic spellings or clerical interpretations. This suggests that the name was already widely recognized and established in the region, albeit in different forms.

Among the noteworthy individuals bearing the surname in its different forms, a significant figure was Robert Yuill, a merchant in Glasgow in the late 16th century whose commercial ventures were documented in city records. His activities around 1590-1610 contributed to the economic growth of the area. Another prominent figure was Thomas Yule, an early 17th-century clergyman, whose birth around 1608 in Ayrshire marked him as a noted religious figure contributing to the Reformation movements of Scotland.

Further along the timeline, James Yuill was an influential figure in the field of ceramic arts. Born in 1781 in Glasgow, he was known for his contributions to the design and manufacture of Scottish pottery. His work around the turn of the 19th century is still celebrated in museums dedicated to Scottish industrial heritage.

In the 19th century, another notable individual was Alexander Youel, a shipbuilder born in 1824 in Aberdeen. He played a crucial role in the development of Aberdeen’s shipbuilding industry, contributing to the designs that powered maritime trade routes essential to the British Empire. Alexander’s efforts were part of broader industrial advancements taking place in Scotland during the era.

The name continued to appear in records throughout the centuries, and by the late 1800s, James Youel, born in 1852, was recognized as a pioneering educator in Edinburgh. His work in establishing schools and emphasizing the importance of education for all classes left a lasting impact on the city's educational landscape.

The surname Youel and its variants encapsulate a rich history tied to Scottish heritage, industry, and celebration. From early medieval registers to significant contributions in various fields across centuries, the bearers of this surname have left indelible marks on historical records and societal progress.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Youel

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

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

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

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