2000
#12,415
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,293
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.85
Rare Last name
Yow
A Chinese surname derived from the name of an ancient state in present-day Henan province.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,566 Americans carry the last name Yow. That puts it at #13,103 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.75 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 133,575 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Yow 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
2.6K
1 in 133,575
Census rank
#13,103
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,238 bearers of the surname Yow in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.75 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13103rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Yow, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (7.7%) and Black (7.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Yow
The surname Yow has its origins in England, with the earliest known records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "yow," which was a term used to refer to a ewe, or a female sheep. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname for someone who worked as a shepherd or in a similar profession involving sheep.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it is listed as "Yuwe." This document was a census-like record of landowners and their holdings in various counties across England. The spelling variations during this time period included "Yowe," "Yowye," and "Youwe."
The Yow surname has also been linked to various place names throughout England, particularly in the counties of Derbyshire and Yorkshire. For example, the village of Youlgrave in Derbyshire was historically known as "Yograve," which may have contributed to the development of the surname in that region.
Notable historical figures with the surname Yow include John Yow, a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Norwich during the 15th century. Records indicate that he served as the city's mayor in 1451 and 1459.
In the 16th century, Thomas Yow (c. 1510-1585) was a prominent clergyman and scholar who served as the Master of Magdalen College School in Oxford. He was known for his contributions to the study of Greek and Latin literature.
During the English Civil War in the 17th century, Captain William Yow (c. 1620-1677) was a skilled military commander who fought for the Parliamentarian forces against King Charles I. He was notably involved in the Battle of Naseby in 1645, which was a significant victory for the Parliamentarians.
In the 18th century, Robert Yow (1736-1804) was a successful merchant and landowner in the county of Gloucestershire. He was also a prominent philanthropist and contributed to the construction of several churches and schools in the area.
Moving into the 19th century, Mary Yow (1815-1892) was a renowned author and poet from Lincolnshire. She published several collections of poetry and was celebrated for her vivid descriptions of rural life and the English countryside.
These examples showcase the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of individuals who have carried the Yow surname throughout history, spanning various regions of England and different walks of life.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Yow
Among Census respondents with the surname Yow, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (7.7%) and Black (7.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Yow 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 Yow surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White77.1% · 1,725
- Asian and Pacific Islander7.7% · 173
- Black or African American7.2% · 162
- Two or more races3.9% · 88
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 66
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.1% · 24
Timeline
Historical Census data for Yow
Yow 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
#13,091
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,343
+50 bearers (+2.2%)
Per 100,000 0.79
Rank movement Down 676 places
2020
#13,103
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,238
-105 bearers (-4.5%)
Per 100,000 0.75
Rank movement Down 12 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,415 | 2,293 | 0.85 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,091 | 2,343 | 0.79 | +50 bearers (+2.2%) | Down 676 places |
| 2020 | #13,103 | 2,238 | 0.75 | -105 bearers (-4.5%) | Down 12 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 Yow 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 | #13,091 | #13,103 | -0.1% |
| Count | 2,343 | 2,238 | -4.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.79 | 0.75 | -5.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Yow bearers went from 2,343 to 2,238 (-4.5% change). The surname moved down 12 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,091 to #13,103.
FAQ
Yow surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Yow?
Name Census estimates that about 2,566 living Americans carry the surname Yow. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 133,575 residents.
How common is Yow?
Yow ranks #13,103 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.75 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 2,238 people with the surname Yow. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,566), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.75 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.75 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 Yow.
Has Yow become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Yow went from 2,343 recorded bearers to 2,238. That is a decrease of 105 (-4.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #13,091 to #13,103.
What does the Census say about the background of Yow?
Among Census respondents with the surname Yow, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (7.7%) and Black (7.2%). 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 Yow in the 2020 Census, accounting for 77.1% (1,725 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Yow appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (77.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (7.7%), Black (7.2%). 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 Yow (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 Yow mean?
A Chinese surname derived from the name of an ancient state in present-day Henan province. 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 Yow (0.75 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 common is the surname Yow?
Want to know how many Americans have the surname Yow? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.