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Yankee Family History

Yankee Surname Meaning

Americanized form of Dutch or North German Janke Jahnke or Jenke.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Yankee family from?

You can see how Yankee families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Yankee family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Yankee families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 2 Yankee families living in Kentucky. This was about 50% of all the recorded Yankee's in USA. Kentucky had the highest population of Yankee families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Yankee surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Yankee ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Yankee. 39% of Yankee men worked as a Farmer and 28% of Yankee women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Yankee were Truck Driver and Saleslady.

View Census Data for Yankee | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    39%
  • Laborer
    20%
  • Machinist
    8%
  • Truck Driver
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    28%
  • Housewife
    14%
  • Clerk
    14%
  • Saleslady
    10%

What Yankee family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Yankee. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Yankee census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Yankee

Passenger Lists

There are 121 immigration records available for the last name Yankee. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Yankee immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 17,000 military records available for the last name Yankee. For the veterans among your Yankee ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Yankee military records

You've only scratched the surface of Yankee family history

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What is the average Yankee lifespan?

Between 1959 and 2004, in the United States, Yankee life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 1986. The average life expectancy for Yankee in 1959 was 48, and 70 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Yankee

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Yankee ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Yankee family tree

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