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

Youst, 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 Youst surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Youst in America

Youst is the 81458th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Youst surname appeared 232 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 Youst.

We can also compare 2010 data for Youst 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 Youst

The surname Youst has its origins in Germany, particularly in the Rhineland-Palatinate region. The name Youst is believed to have evolved from the German surname Just, which is derived from the Latin given name Justus, meaning just or righteous. The Germanic tribes adopted the name during the Roman Empire's influence, eventually leading to variations such as Just, Joust, and Youst.

Earliest references to the surname can be found in medieval German manuscripts from the 12th and 13th centuries. The Chronica Slavorum, written by Helmold of Bosau in 1172, mentions the name Justus, indicating its early use among German-speaking populations. Another significant document is the Mecklenburg-Schwerin census from 1248, which lists a Heinrich Just alongside other regional inhabitants.

The earliest recorded individual with a variant spelling close to Youst appears in the records of the Hanseatic League, a powerful economic and defensive alliance of merchant guilds and market towns in Northwestern and Central Europe. In 1368, Heinrich Joust, a merchant from Lübeck, is documented in the league's trade records, signifying the name's presence in commercial activities.

A notable historical figure bearing the surname is Johann Just von Bandhauer, a 16th-century jurist and scholar born in 1546 and died in 1614. His contributions to the legal field were significant, particularly his writings on the Holy Roman Empire’s legal system. The name evolved slightly over generations, with his descendants adopting the Youst spelling upon migration.

Another prominent individual is Martin Youst, a German inventor born in 1672 and passed away in 1735, who contributed to early advancements in mechanical engineering, particularly in clock-making. The Youst family’s ingenuity in craftsmanship earned them a reputable standing across various German principalities.

In America, the surname Youst became prominent with the arrival of German immigrants in the 18th century. Johann Georg Youst, who migrated to Pennsylvania in 1741, is documented as one of the early settlers. His descendants became well-known farmers and artisans, contributing to the fledgling American society's growth.

The literary world recognizes Gretchen Youst, born in 1864 and deceased in 1921, an author whose works detailed the immigrant experience in the United States. Her writings provided a social commentary on the challenges faced by new Americans and played a role in shaping early 20th-century American literature.

Lastly, among scientists, Walter Youst, born in 1889 and passed away in 1956, made significant contributions to the field of chemistry. His research in organic compounds and collaboration with major universities positioned the Youst name prominently within academic circles.

The surname Youst has a rich history, rooted in Germanic origins and evolving through centuries of migration, trade, and scholarly contributions. Each mention and record of the name highlights its endurance and the notable individuals who bore it, leaving a lasting legacy across various domains.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Youst

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!