2010
#152,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Yrlas
A surname with an unknown meaning or origin.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Yrlas. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Yrlas 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Yrlas in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Yrlas, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 76.1%. The next largest groups are White (23.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Yrlas
The surname Yrlas is somewhat obscure and its exact origins are difficult to pinpoint, but it appears to have historical roots in the Iberian Peninsula, most likely Spain. The name is believed to have emerged during the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. The specific regions associated with the early usage of Yrlas include the northern and western parts of Spain, areas such as Galicia and Asturias where naming conventions were often influenced by both Celtic and Latin cultures.
The etymology of Yrlas may be traced back to older forms or variations in spelling, such as Yrla or Irlas. These variations suggest a possible connection to older Spanish, Galician, or even Basque linguistic elements. In particular, the surname might have been derived from a toponym or a descriptive term related to geography or occupation, where 'Yr-' or 'Ir-' could signify a geographical feature while '-las' could denote a place or land.
One of the earliest instances of the surname Yrlas can be found in 14th century tax records from the Kingdom of Castile, illustrating a person named Martín Yrlas, born around 1320. Additionally, a 1493 legal document from the Province of León makes mention of Diego Yrlas, a landowner involved in a boundary dispute, further establishing the presence of the surname in medieval Spain.
In the 16th century, historical records indicate the presence of a nobleman named Pedro Yrlas, born in 1532, who served in the Spanish military and participated in several notable campaigns during the Reconquista. His contributions are documented in the annals of Spanish military history, marking the prominence of the Yrlas surname during this era.
Another mention is found in the baptismal records of a small church in Asturias dating back to 1687, where a child named María Yrlas was baptized. This suggests the continuity of the surname in the region over several centuries. The church records often preserved the presence of such surnames across generations, providing valuable insights into family lineages.
In the 19th century, the surname Yrlas appears in a legal document from the Basque Country, referencing a Juan Yrlas, born in 1812. He was known as a local magistrate and a scholar, contributing to the administrative and educational development of his community. His works and participation in local governance are cited in regional historical archives.
The surname Yrlas has not been extensively researched in modern onomastic studies, yet these early historical references illustrate its presence and significance in medieval and early modern Spain. The individuals mentioned, ranging from military figures to local officials, highlight the variety of roles and contributions made by bearers of the Yrlas surname throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Yrlas
Among Census respondents with the surname Yrlas, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 76.1%. The next largest groups are White (23.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Yrlas 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 Yrlas surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino76.1% · 86
- White23.0% · 26
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Yrlas
Yrlas appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+6 bearers (+5.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,407 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #152,628 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.6%) | Up 5,407 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 Yrlas 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 | #152,628 | #147,221 | 3.5% |
| Count | 107 | 113 | 5.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Yrlas bearers went from 107 to 113 (+5.6% change). The surname moved up 5,407 positions in the national ranking, going from #152,628 to #147,221.
FAQ
Yrlas surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Yrlas?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Yrlas. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Yrlas?
Yrlas ranks #147,221 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 113 people with the surname Yrlas. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Yrlas.
Has Yrlas become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Yrlas went from 107 recorded bearers to 113. That is an increase of 6 (+5.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #152,628 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Yrlas?
Among Census respondents with the surname Yrlas, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 76.1%. The next largest groups are White (23.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Yrlas in the 2020 Census, accounting for 76.1% (86 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Yrlas appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (76.1%), White (23.0%), American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%). 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 Yrlas (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 Yrlas mean?
A surname with an unknown meaning or origin. 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 Yrlas (0.04 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 Yrlas?
You can see how many people have the last name Yrlas on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.