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

Younce, 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 Younce surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Younce in America

Younce is the 13674th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Younce surname appeared 2,214 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Younce.

We can also compare 2010 data for Younce 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 Younce

The surname Younce has its origins in the French region of Burgundy, where it first appeared in records dating back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "juvence," which means "youth" or "young age." This suggests that the name was initially a nickname or descriptive name given to someone who appeared youthful or was the youngest in a family or community.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Younce can be found in the Cartulary of Bèze Abbey in Burgundy, where a certain "Guillermus Juvencis" is mentioned in 1198. This Latin form of the name translates to "William the Young," further reinforcing the connection to youthfulness.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the name spread across various regions of France, with variations in spelling such as "Jouvence," "Jouvance," and "Jouvanceau" appearing in different local records and manuscripts. These variations reflect the fluid nature of surnames during that era, as they often evolved through oral tradition and regional dialects.

In the 14th century, a notable bearer of the name was Pierre de Jouvence, a French monk and alchemist born around 1310. He is remembered for his pursuit of the mythical "elixir of life," which was believed to prolong youth and vitality. This association with the quest for eternal youth further strengthens the connection between the name Younce and the concept of youthfulness.

Another notable figure was Jean de Jouvence, a French theologian and philosopher who lived in the late 15th century. He was known for his work on the concept of natural law and its relationship to divine law, making significant contributions to the field of moral philosophy during the Renaissance period.

As the name spread beyond France, it underwent further alterations in spelling and pronunciation. In England, for instance, it appeared as "Younce" or "Yonce" as early as the 16th century. One example is William Younce, a merchant and landowner from Suffolk, who was born in 1542 and died in 1612.

In the 17th century, the name Younce can be found in various records from the American colonies, particularly in Virginia and Maryland. One notable bearer was John Younce, a settler who arrived in Virginia in 1635 and later served as a member of the House of Burgesses, the colonial legislature of Virginia.

As the centuries passed, the surname Younce continued to be carried by individuals across different regions and professions. Notable bearers include William Younce, an American soldier who fought in the Revolutionary War, and John Younce, a 19th-century farmer and landowner from Tennessee.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Younce

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

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

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

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