Explore the Family Name Ye
The meaning of Ye
1. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 葉, meaning ‘leaf’ in Chinese: (i) from the placename Ye (葉), the name of a fief (located in Henan province) granted to Shen Zhu Liang, son of an official in the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (ii) traced back to a minority ethnic group in ancient southern China. 2. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 野: shortened form of the Chinese surname Dong-Ye (東野), which was derived from name of a fief (located in Shandong province) granted to Yu, nephew of King Wu of Zhou (c.1087–1043 BC). 3. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 冶, meaning ‘smelting’ in Chinese: (i) from name of a official post during the Zhou dynasty (1046–256 BC) in charge of making weapons. (ii) a surname of the Hui ethnic group. 4. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 余, see Yu 1. 5. Korean: variant of Yi. Some characteristic forenames: Chinese Wei, Hong, Jian, Qing, Feng, Zhong, Bin, Jin, Li, Mei, Min, Ming, Wen. Korean Chol, Dong Sup, Jong Chul, Myong, Neng, Sook Young, Sung Chul.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ye in the United States?
Popularity data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows that the surname Ye has significantly grown in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 6535th most popular surname, but by 2010, it had moved up to the 3609th position, reflecting a change of 44.77%. The total count of individuals bearing this surname more than doubled during the same period, going from 4786 people in 2000 to 9839 people in 2010, representing an increase of 105.58%. The proportion per 100k also saw a significant increase of 88.7%, growing from 1.77 to 3.34.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,535 | #3,609 | 44.77% |
| Count | 4,786 | 9,839 | 105.58% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.77 | 3.34 | 88.7% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ye
In terms of ethnic identity, according to the data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the majority of those with the surname 'Ye' identify as Asian/Pacific Islander. This number slightly increased from 96.16% in 2000 to 97.02% in 2010, marking a change of 0.89%. Meanwhile, the percentage of individuals identifying as two or more races decreased from 1.59% to 0.84%, a downshift of 47.17%. The proportion of those who identify as White or Hispanic also saw slight decreases, with respective changes of -11.33% and -12.50%. There were no reported instances of the surname among those identifying as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in both census years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 96.16% | 97.02% | 0.89% |
| White | 1.5% | 1.33% | -11.33% |
| Two or More Races | 1.59% | 0.84% | -47.17% |
| Hispanic | 0.56% | 0.49% | -12.5% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Ye ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Ye is Chinese, which comprises 89.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Chinese Dai (2.4%) and Korean (2.4%). Additional ancestries include Vietnamese, Manchurian & Mongolian, French & German, British & Irish, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 89.8% |
| Chinese Dai | 2.4% |
| Korean | 2.4% |
| Other | 5.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Ye
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Ye have recent ancestry locations in China and Taiwan.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Fujian, China | 43.50% |
| Guangdong, China | 43.50% |
| Shanghai, China | 43.20% |
| Jiangsu, China | 43.20% |
| Zhejiang, China | 42.80% |
What Ye haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Ye is O-CTS2498, which is predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Haplogroup O-CTS2498 is descended from haplogroup O-M1359. Other common haplogroups include O-F11 and O-M307.1, which are predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American and East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Zhong, Yeh, Hsu, Jiang, Hu, Yap, Xie, Zhou, Tse, Fang.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Ye surname are: R, D4, M7b. These most commonly trace back to individuals of East Asian & Indigenous American and European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins O-M1359
Your paternal lineage may be linked to the Han Chinese
Haplogroup O1a is a branch of O-M119, also called O1a. O-M119 and its branches are present in both northern and southern Han Chinese men at low to moderate frequencies, but are most common among the Jiangsu, Shanghai, and Zhejiang southern Han groups. The Han people, who all share the same language and similar cultural practices, are the largest ethnic group in the world, with about 1.2 billion people. Historical evidence shows that Han people are descendants of the ancient Huaxia tribes that come from northern China, and Han language and culture only expanded into southern China in the last 2,000 years. The spread of Han people and culture from northern to southern China was likely driven by warfare and famine in the north. Members of O-M119 belong to a group that has helped to shape the culture of the world's largest ethnic group.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to the Han
Members of haplogroup D are found in both northern and southern Han Chinese populations at low to moderate frequencies. The Han people, who all share the same language and similar cultural practices, are the largest ethnic group in the world, with about 1.2 billion people. Historical evidence shows that Han people are descendants of the ancient Huaxia tribes that come from northern China, and Han language and culture only expanded into southern China in the last 2,000 years. The spread of Han people and culture from northern to southern China was likely driven by warfare and famine in the north.
What do people with the surname Ye have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Ye" Surname 32.5%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Ye" Surname 23.8%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Ye" Surname 16.7%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Ye" Surname 5.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Ye?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Ye are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition