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

Ypma, 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 Ypma surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ypma in America

Ypma is the 102688th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ypma surname appeared 175 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 Ypma.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ypma 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 Ypma

The surname YPMA originates from the Netherlands, specifically from the Frisian region. Friesland, located in the northern part of the Netherlands, has a rich history of unique cultural and linguistic traditions, and surnames often reflect these. The family's name is derivative of old Frisian patronymic naming conventions, where the suffix "ma" signifies "son of" or "family of."

The root word "Yp" could relate to a personal or given name adapted from historical names like Ype or Ypp, which were common in the region during the medieval period. Names were often regional and familial, and Friesland is known for perpetuating these naming traditions well into the late centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Ypma appears in ecclesiastical records from the 16th century in Friesland. An early mention includes Tjisse Ypma, born around 1570, a farmer whose family maintained a long lineage in the region. Such records are typically found in church registries documenting births, marriages, and deaths, as governmental record-keeping did not become common practice until much later.

Another notable individual was Jelske Ypma, born in 1623, who appeared in tax records from the town of Franeker, a cultural and educational hub in Friesland. The town was known for its university, which attracted many scholars throughout the region. While it is unclear whether Jelske was directly associated with the university, the presence of the family in such records indicates their permanence in the area.

In the 18th century, the name appears in maritime records, with Sikke Ypma, born in 1745, who was documented as a seaman. This association with the maritime industry is reflective of the broader occupations Friesians undertook, given the importance of waterways for trade and travel.

During the 19th century, Twitse Ypma, born in 1820, became notable for his contributions to local Frisian literature and community leadership in the town of Harlingen. His works often included reflections on regional culture, and he was an advocate for preserving the Frisian language.

Towards the late 19th century, Trijntje Ypma, born in 1855, was recognized for her pioneering work in Dutch education as one of the early female school teachers in Friesland. Her achievements were particularly noted in a time when women's roles were considerably restricted, and she played a significant part in advancing educational opportunities for girls in her hometown of Leeuwarden.

The surname Ypma, deeply rooted in Friesland, encapsulates the essence of Frisian heritage and history, with each generation contributing to various facets of regional and cultural development. These historical instances illustrate the enduring legacy and prominence of the Ypma family in the Netherlands over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ypma

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

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

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

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