2010
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Yunez
A surname of Spanish origin derived from the personal name Inés.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Yunez. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Yunez 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
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Yunez in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Yunez, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.4%. The next largest groups are White (3.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Yunez
The surname Yunez traces its origins to Spain, specifically to the Iberian Peninsula, during the medieval period. It is derived from the given name Yunus, which itself comes from the Hebrew name Yonah, meaning dove. Over time, this given name evolved into a family name as it was passed down through generations.
Initially, the surname appears in historical records around the 12th century in the Kingdom of Castile. The earliest variant of the name recorded was Yunez, which was indicative of a patronymic origin—meaning "son of Yunus." This form was also influenced by the phonetic transitions that names underwent during that period.
In medieval manuscripts, the name Yunez is occasionally found in various local governmental and ecclesiastical records. One notable appearance is in the archives of Burgos in the late 13th century, where a Manolo Yunez is documented as a landowner and a minor noble. His contributions to local agricultural developments are notably referenced in period texts.
By the 15th century, the name had spread to other areas within Spain and beyond, evolving into various spellings such as Yúñez. The prominence of the name is reinforced by Miguel Yunez, born in 1452 and died in 1508, a Spanish merchant who established significant trade routes with North Africa. His efforts and ventures are well-documented in the trade records of Granada.
Into the early modern period, the surname Yunez continued to be borne by individuals who made their mark in various domains. Teresa Yunez, born in 1590, was one of the few documented female scholars of her time, known for her translations of classic Latin texts. Her works were highly regarded in academic circles in Madrid, characterized by their precision and elegance.
In the 18th century, Joaquín Yunez, born in 1715 and died in 1776, served as a prominent military officer under King Charles III. His strategic insights and leadership during conflicts such as the War of Jenkins' Ear were notable, and he is frequently mentioned in military dispatches and chronicles of the period.
Another influential figure is Dr. Fernando Yunez, born in 1864 and died in 1947. He was a renowned physician and public health advocate in Seville, recognized for his work in combating infectious diseases during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His contributions to medicine significantly impacted public health policies in Spain.
The surname Yunez has a rich and varied history, deeply rooted in the cultural and social evolution of Spain. Its bearers have contributed to different facets of historical development, leaving a lasting legacy that is documented in numerous historical references and records throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Yunez
Among Census respondents with the surname Yunez, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.4%. The next largest groups are White (3.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Yunez 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 Yunez surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino92.4% · 97
- White3.8% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
- Two or more races1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Yunez
Yunez 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
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 1,918 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Up 1,918 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 Yunez 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 | #154,907 | #152,989 | 1.2% |
| Count | 105 | 105 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Yunez bearers went from 105 to 105 (+0.0% change). The surname moved up 1,918 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #152,989.
FAQ
Yunez surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Yunez?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Yunez. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Yunez?
Yunez ranks #152,989 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 105 people with the surname Yunez. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), 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 Yunez.
Has Yunez become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Yunez went from 105 recorded bearers to 105. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Yunez?
Among Census respondents with the surname Yunez, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.4%. The next largest groups are White (3.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%). 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 Yunez in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.4% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Yunez appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (92.4%), White (3.8%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%). 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 Yunez (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 Yunez mean?
A surname of Spanish origin derived from the personal name Inés. 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 Yunez (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 common is the surname Yunez?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people are called Yunez at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.