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Yao Family History

Yao Surname Meaning

Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 姚 meaning ‘far’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the first element of the placename Yao Xu (姚墟) (said to be located in present-day Puyang in Henan province) said to be the birthplace of the legendary Emperor Shun (c. 23rd century BC). (ii) from Yao (姚) the name of an ancient state (probably located in present-day in Shandong province) during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).

Chinese: Mandarin form of the surnames 么 and 幺: these surnames were documented in the Southern and Northern Dynasties (420–589 AD) but their origin was unexplained.

Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 要: from the first element of the personal name Yao Li (要离) an assassin in the state of Wu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).

Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 藥 meaning 'medicine drug' in Chinese: traced back to the Tangut and some minority ethnic groups in southwestern China.

Chinese: alternative Cantonese Romanization of the surnames 游 and 尤 see You 1 and Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 饒 see Rao 7: West African (Ghana): Akan name a variant of Yaw.

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


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Where is the Yao family from?

You can see how Yao families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Yao family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Yao families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1841 there was 1 Yao family living in Lanarkshire. This was 100% of all the recorded Yao's in Scotland. Lanarkshire had the highest population of Yao families in 1841.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Yao surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What Yao family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 272 census records available for the last name Yao. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Yao census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

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Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Yao. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 987 military records available for the last name Yao. For the veterans among your Yao ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Yao lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Yao life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 1994. The average life expectancy for Yao in 1942 was 40, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Yao

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Yao 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.

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