2000
#13,863
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,999
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.74
Rare Last name
Younker
A surname referring to a young nobleman, a junior member of a noble family, or a young man.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,282 Americans carry the last name Younker. That puts it at #14,439 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.67 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 150,199 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Younker surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
2.3K
1 in 150,199
Census rank
#14,439
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,990 bearers of the surname Younker in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.67 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14439th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Younker, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Younker
The surname Younker is of Germanic origin, derived from the Middle Low German word "junker," which means "young lord" or "young nobleman." This name was initially used to refer to the younger sons of noblemen or knights who had not yet inherited titles or lands.
The earliest recorded instances of the Younker surname can be traced back to the 14th century in various regions of Germany and the Netherlands. One notable early reference is found in the Codex Diplomaticus Neerlandicus, a collection of historical documents from the Netherlands, where the name "Younker" appears in records dating back to the late 1300s.
In the 15th century, the Younker surname began to spread beyond its original regions, with families bearing this name appearing in areas such as the Rhineland and the Duchy of Brabant. During this period, the name was often associated with minor nobility or wealthy landowners.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Younker was Hendrick Younker, a merchant and landowner who lived in the city of Bruges in the late 15th century. Another notable figure was Johann Younker, a German Lutheran theologian and author who lived from 1550 to 1617.
As the centuries passed, the Younker surname continued to be found across various parts of Europe, particularly in regions with strong Germanic influences. In the 17th century, the name appeared in records from the Netherlands, such as the baptismal records of the Reformed Church in Amsterdam, where several individuals with the Younker surname were recorded.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Younker surname began to spread to other parts of the world through emigration. One notable individual from this period was Friedrich Younker, a German-born settler who arrived in the United States in the early 19th century and became a prominent farmer and landowner in Pennsylvania.
Another significant figure was Hans Younker, a Dutch-born explorer and surveyor who played a crucial role in mapping and surveying the interior regions of South Africa in the late 19th century. His expeditions and contributions to cartography helped shape the understanding of the region's geography.
While the Younker surname has its roots in Germany and the Netherlands, it has since been carried to various parts of the world by families and individuals seeking new opportunities or fleeing conflict and persecution. Today, the name can be found in numerous countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and parts of Europe, reflecting the diverse and far-reaching history of this surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Younker
Among Census respondents with the surname Younker, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Younker bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Younker surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.1% · 1,813
- Two or more races3.3% · 66
- Hispanic or Latino2.4% · 47
- Black or African American1.9% · 37
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 14
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 13
Timeline
Historical Census data for Younker
Younker appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#14,755
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,013
+14 bearers (+0.7%)
Per 100,000 0.68
Rank movement Down 892 places
2020
#14,439
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,990
-23 bearers (-1.1%)
Per 100,000 0.67
Rank movement Up 316 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,863 | 1,999 | 0.74 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,755 | 2,013 | 0.68 | +14 bearers (+0.7%) | Down 892 places |
| 2020 | #14,439 | 1,990 | 0.67 | -23 bearers (-1.1%) | Up 316 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Younker surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #14,755 | #14,439 | 2.1% |
| Count | 2,013 | 1,990 | -1.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.68 | 0.67 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Younker bearers went from 2,013 to 1,990 (-1.1% change). The surname moved up 316 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,755 to #14,439.
FAQ
Younker surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Younker?
Name Census estimates that about 2,282 living Americans carry the surname Younker. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 150,199 residents.
How common is Younker?
Younker ranks #14,439 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.67 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,990 people with the surname Younker. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,282), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.67 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.67 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Younker.
Has Younker become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Younker went from 2,013 recorded bearers to 1,990. That is a decrease of 23 (-1.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #14,755 to #14,439.
What does the Census say about the background of Younker?
Among Census respondents with the surname Younker, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Hispanic (2.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Younker in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.1% (1,813 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Younker appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.1%), Two or More Races (3.3%), Hispanic (2.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Younker (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Younker mean?
A surname referring to a young nobleman, a junior member of a noble family, or a young man. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Younker (0.67 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Younker?
Find out how many Americans have the surname Younker on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.