Explore the Family Name Yeoman
The meaning of Yeoman
English and Scottish: status name, from Middle English yoman, yeman, used of an attendant of relatively high status in a noble household, ranking between a Sergeant and a Groom, or between a Squire and a Page. The word probably originated as a shortened form of Middle English yonge man. Later in the Middle English period it came to be used of a modest independent freeholder, and this latter sense may well lie behind some examples of the surname. In Scotland by the 16th century it had come to denote a landholder next in rank below a gentleman, specifically one who owned land worth at least forty shillings a year.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Yeoman in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Yeoman experienced a slight dip in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 12,573rd in popularity, but by 2010, it had dropped to 13,259th, representing a decrease of 5.46%. Despite this drop in rank, the actual number of people with the Yeoman surname increased from 2,259 to 2,302, an increase of 1.9%. However, proportionally, per 100,000 people, the presence of the Yeoman name decreased by 7.14%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #12,573 | #13,259 | -5.46% |
| Count | 2,259 | 2,302 | 1.9% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.84 | 0.78 | -7.14% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Yeoman
In terms of ethnicity based on the same Decennial U.S. Census data, the distribution of the Yeoman surname evolved somewhat over that decade. The percentages of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and those reporting two or more races both saw substantial increases, growing by 47.73% and 46.62% respectively. The percentage of individuals with the Yeoman surname who identified as White slightly decreased, falling by 1.73%, while the Hispanic representation grew by 35.38%. The proportions of those identifying as Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native remained relatively steady, with minor decreases of 0.35% and 1.52% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 89.69% | 88.14% | -1.73% |
| Black | 5.75% | 5.73% | -0.35% |
| Hispanic | 2.12% | 2.87% | 35.38% |
| Two or More Races | 1.33% | 1.95% | 46.62% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.44% | 0.65% | 47.73% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.66% | 0.65% | -1.52% |