The York surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 53,059 people carried this name — #642 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 5,560 people counted. That is up 3% from 51,334 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the York surname

A habitational surname from Old English from the city or the county; See also Yorke.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «York» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

York was found among the farmers of Northamptonshire: 20 in every 10,000.

Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Northamptonshire 20

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

109 families named York, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 603 people lived in those households, 5.5 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 3 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Maine 26
New Hampshire 22
North Carolina 22
Connecticut 10
New York 10
Maryland 6
Pennsylvania 4
South Carolina 3
Vermont 2
Virginia 2
Massachusetts 1
Rhode Island 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 270 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

York in American newspapers,
1900.

Newspaper page from The Portland Daily Press carrying the name York
The Portland Daily Press 1900-03-02
Newspaper page from The Portland Daily Press carrying the name York
The Portland Daily Press 1900-03-01
Newspaper page from The Portland Daily Press carrying the name York
The Portland Daily Press 1900-02-28

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 9,875 pages in all carry the name.

In print

York in Australian newspapers,
1810s–2000s.

44,997 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss York. The most, 6,520, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Western Australia, at 2.5 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 18,316
Western Australia 8,639
Victoria 7,583
Tasmania 4,786
Queensland 3,217
South Australia 2,023
ACT (Canberra) 281
Northern Territory 12

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss York.

Who carried it

People named York,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Robert York d. 1348 · scientist
  • Dorothy C. York d. 2012 · writer
  • John York d. 1569 · politician
  • Pamela Lorna Boileau Homfrey d. 2013
  • Rowland York 1501–1588 · soldier
  • Peter York 1542–1589 · politician

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named York,
in the records of 9 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States3,535 records

3,535 records of the York name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 1,673
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 663
  • Other U.S. records 1,199
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Henry York

    Born 1949; from North Babylon, New York. U.S. Marine Corps, rifleman; killed in action 1968 in Quang Tri, South Vietnam. Buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Aaron L. York

    Born 1922 in Alabama. Enlisted 1942 at Fort McClellan; miner from Walker County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1993, buried at Walker Memory Gardens, Jasper, Alabama.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Carl York

    Arrived at New York in 1891 aboard the Furst Bismarck from Hamburg and Southampton, aged 30; fireman. From Crunutschalb, Saxony, Germany; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 3,535 records for York in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia601 records

601 records of the York name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 232
  • Tasmanian Names Index 178
  • Other Australian records 191
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Thomas York

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Recovery, sailing from Downs in 1837. Native of Muscott, Northamptonshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1841. Married 1841 in Avoca, Tasmania, aged 26.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Thomas York

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Woodford, sailing from London in 1826. Native of Kettering, Northamptonshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1834. Married 1834 in Hobart, Tasmania.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Mary York

    Died 1855 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 100. Will registered in Tasmania in 1855.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 601 records for York in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada271 records

271 records of the York name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 196
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 24
  • Other Canadian records 51
  1. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Dusky York

    Left New York in 1783 aboard the L'Abondence, bound for Port Roseway, aged 24.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Isaac York

    Came to Ontario in 1874 aboard the Texas, bound for Paris, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Harry Frederick York

    Buried in 1979 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 50.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.

Showing 3 of 271 records for York in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom36 records

36 records of the York name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 19
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 16
  • Welsh wills index cards 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Abraham York

    Buried in 1849 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 40.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Louisa Emily York

    Will proved in 1910; of Capel Curig, Carnarvon.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record H. York

    Lance Corporal, Welsh Guards. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 36 records for York in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Germany27 records

27 records of the York name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list August Richard York

    From Kleinradmeritz, Amtshauptmannschaft Löbau. Reported wounded in the Saxon casualty list of 6 October 1914 (Grenadier Regiment No. 101).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Alexander York

    From Cottbus. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 5 June 1917.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  3. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Willy York

    From Spandau. Reported missing in the Prussian casualty list of 5 October 1918.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 3 of 27 records for York in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

New Zealand20 records

20 records of the York name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 15
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 3
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Kenneth York

    Died 1997, aged 77; buried at Fairhall Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Irene York

    Died 1995, aged 80; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Evelyn Elizabeth York

    Died 1912, aged 34; buried at Havelock Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 20 records for York in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands10 records

10 records of the York name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 5
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 4
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 1
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Elisabeth York

    Died 1820 in Meerssen; born in Maastricht.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Historisch Centrum Limburg (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Paul York

    Died 1906 in Ouder-Amstel, aged 54.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 10 records for York in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

France8 records

8 records of the York name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Rose Marie Josephe York

    Born 1927 in Fécamp; died 1988 in Fécamp (Seine-Maritime).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Germain Francois Jean York

    Born 1894 in Marseille; died 1976 in Aix-en-Provence (Bouches-du-Rhône).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 8 records for York in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Norway1 record

1 record of the York name in Norway Norway's 1910 census
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Gunda York

    Census of 1910: Kongens gate, Sandefjord; born 1890 in Sandeherred.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)

Counts: Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to York.

When the index is not enough

This page says where York is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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