Explore the Family Name Yoo
The meaning of Yoo
1. Chinese: variant of Yu. 2. Korean: variant of Yu 20. Some characteristic forenames: Chinese Young, Jae, Sung, Kyung, Jung, Kwang, Seung, Jin, Sang, Won, Yong, Ho. Korean Chung, Byung, Chang, Dae, Hae, Jeong, Kwang Soo, Sook Ja, Chong, Chul, Do Hyun, In Suk.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Yoo in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Yoo has shown a significant increase between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Yoo ranked 3330 in popularity, but by 2010 it rose to 2724 - an increase of 18.2 percent. The number of individuals carrying this surname also expanded significantly during this period, growing from 9,853 to 13,225 people, which represents a rise of 34.22 percent. The proportion of people named Yoo per 100,000 also increased from 3.65 to 4.48, marking a 22.74 percent change.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,330 | #2,724 | 18.2% |
| Count | 9,853 | 13,225 | 34.22% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.65 | 4.48 | 22.74% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Yoo
In terms of ethnicity, data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals that the vast majority of people with the surname Yoo identify as Asian/Pacific Islander. This group experienced a slight increase of 0.63 percent from 2000 to 2010, going from 94.89 percent to 95.49 percent. Individuals identifying as two or more races represented 1.27 percent in 2000, decreasing to 1.06 percent in 2010, showing a decline of 16.54 percent. The representation of Whites with this surname fell by 14.19 percent whereas those identifying as Hispanic saw an increase of 25.53 percent. No people with the surname Yoo identified as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 94.89% | 95.49% | 0.63% |
| White | 3.1% | 2.66% | -14.19% |
| Two or More Races | 1.27% | 1.06% | -16.54% |
| Hispanic | 0.47% | 0.59% | 25.53% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Yoo 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 Yoo is Korean, which comprises 88.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (2.8%) and Chinese (2.1%). Additional ancestries include French & German, Japanese, Eastern European, Greek & Balkan, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Korean | 88.4% |
| British & Irish | 2.8% |
| Chinese | 2.1% |
| Other | 6.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Yoo
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 Yoo have recent ancestry locations in South Korea and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Seoul, South Korea | 91.80% |
| Busan, South Korea | 65.60% |
| Gyeongsangnam Do, South Korea | 45.90% |
| Daegu, South Korea | 43.00% |
| Jeollabuk Do, South Korea | 41.40% |
What Yoo 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 Yoo is O-F1275, which is predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Haplogroup O-F1275 is descended from haplogroup O-M1359. Other common haplogroups include C-F2613 and O-CTS723, which are predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American and East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Kim, Park, Kang, Han, Choi, Pak, Lee, Jung, Chung, Yoon.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Yoo surname are: R, D4, D4a1. These most commonly trace back to individuals of East Asian & Indigenous American and European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins O-M1359Your 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 Yoo 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.
"Yoo" Surname 33.9%
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.
"Yoo" Surname 25.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Yoo" Surname 9.0%
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.
"Yoo" Surname 9.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Yoo?
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 Yoo are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition