2000
#15,598
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,720
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.64
Rare Last name
Yard
A surname derived from the Old English "geard," referring to an enclosed area or yard.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,620 Americans carry the last name Yard. That puts it at #19,206 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.47 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 211,577 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Yard 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Yard with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
1.6K
1 in 211,577
Census rank
#19,206
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,413 bearers of the surname Yard in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.47 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 19206th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Yard, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.5%. The next largest groups are Black (14.6%) and Hispanic (7.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Yard
The surname Yard finds its origins in England, with historical references dating back to the Middle Ages. The earliest usage appears to be concentrated in the counties of Devon, Somerset, and Dorset. The name is derived from the Old English word geard, which means an enclosed area such as a yard or garden. This suggests that the surname originally denoted someone who lived near an enclosed plot of land, often signifying a homestead or an area used for agriculture.
One of the earliest documented instances of the surname Yard appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists a manor named Geard in Devon. This early reference points to the significance of enclosed land and estates during Norman rule in England. It is likely that individuals working on or living near such or similar estates adopted the name as an identifier.
By the 13th century, branches of the Yard family are found recorded in various local documents. In 1296, a Robert del Yerd is mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset, indicating that the surname was in use and recognized by that time. This further supports the association of the name with specific geographical areas and agricultural practices of the period.
Notable figures bearing the surname Yard include William Yard (1350-1410), a landowner recorded in legal documents in Yorkshire, and Thomas Yard, listed as a master mason in the early 15th century. These records suggest that bearers of the surname were involved in various trades and held roles of significance in their communities.
In the realms of academia and governance, John Yard (1673-1746) gained prominence as a member of Parliament for Exeter. His contributions to political life in the early 18th century highlight the continued presence and influence of individuals with this surname.
Another prominent individual was George Yard (1825-1898), an influential clergyman and philanthropist known for his charitable work and establishment of several educational institutions. His legacy includes the founding of Yard's School, which served underprivileged children in London.
The surname Yard carries historical weight and significance tracing back to its Anglo-Saxon roots. It offers a fascinating glimpse into the evolution of language and societal structure, as well as the migration and occupations of its bearers. With each recorded instance and notable individual, the name Yard continues to illustrate the rich tapestry of history it encapsulates.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Yard
Among Census respondents with the surname Yard, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.5%. The next largest groups are Black (14.6%) and Hispanic (7.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Yard 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 Yard surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White71.5% · 1,010
- Black or African American14.6% · 207
- Hispanic or Latino7.1% · 101
- Two or more races5.1% · 72
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.3% · 19
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Yard
Yard appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#17,159
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,651
-69 bearers (-4.0%)
Per 100,000 0.56
Rank movement Down 1,561 places
2020
#19,206
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,413
-238 bearers (-14.4%)
Per 100,000 0.47
Rank movement Down 2,047 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #15,598 | 1,720 | 0.64 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #17,159 | 1,651 | 0.56 | -69 bearers (-4.0%) | Down 1,561 places |
| 2020 | #19,206 | 1,413 | 0.47 | -238 bearers (-14.4%) | Down 2,047 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 Yard 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 | #17,159 | #19,206 | -11.9% |
| Count | 1,651 | 1,413 | -14.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.56 | 0.47 | -15.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Yard bearers went from 1,651 to 1,413 (-14.4% change). The surname moved down 2,047 positions in the national ranking, going from #17,159 to #19,206.
FAQ
Yard surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Yard?
Name Census estimates that about 1,620 living Americans carry the surname Yard. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 211,577 residents.
How common is Yard?
Yard ranks #19,206 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.47 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 1,413 people with the surname Yard. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,620), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.47 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.47 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 Yard.
Has Yard become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Yard went from 1,651 recorded bearers to 1,413. That is a decrease of 238 (-14.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #17,159 to #19,206.
What does the Census say about the background of Yard?
Among Census respondents with the surname Yard, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.5%. The next largest groups are Black (14.6%) and Hispanic (7.1%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Yard in the 2020 Census, accounting for 71.5% (1,010 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Yard appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (71.5%), Black (14.6%), Hispanic (7.1%). 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 Yard (2000, 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 Yard mean?
A surname derived from the Old English "geard," referring to an enclosed area or yard. 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 Yard (0.47 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 surname Yard?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.