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Last names that start with Y are found all over the world. In Asian countries including Japan, China, Indian, and Korea, Y-surnames are used liberally. Surnames like Yamaha, Yui, Yeng, and Yan are common in these countries. Moreover, last names starting with Y are regularly used in Latin America and Hispanic countries. Many times, you may come across variants of the same surnames starting with E or I, like Ybarra and Yglesias.
Even in English-speaking countries, last names starting with Y are quite common like Young and York. Usually, these names are patronymics or habitational. However, they may also be Biblical, occupational, or even derived from nicknames. From the short Ya to the long Yerbabuena, these surnames with Y have managed to span continents and cultures. It can be said that they are a reflection of a rich history and colorful human experiences.
Last Names That Start With Y
Last names that start with Y are unique due to their relatively rare usage. They make a family stand out for their unique spellings.
Japanese Last Names That Start With Y
Last names with Y are commonly used in Japan. While most of these names are topographical or habitational, other names are derived from nature.
1. Ya
A Japanese surname that is derived from the same word, Ya means ‘night.’
2. Yabe
Derived from the Japanese characters ya and be, Yabe means ‘arrow’ and ‘region.’ It is pronounced as YAH-BEH.
3. Yabuki
Yabuki is a rare Japanese surname that means ‘arrow’ and ‘to blow.’ It is also written as Tanibuki, Yabukame, and Yabugame.
4. Yabusaki
A habitational name that is derived from the characters ya, which means ‘eight,’ ‘bu, which is a unit of measurement, and saki, which means ‘cape’ or ‘peninsula.’
5. Yado
Yado could have several meanings such as ‘eight children,’ ‘valley,’ ‘ancient,’ ‘arrow,’ and ‘child.’ It could also be a variant of Yako.
6. Yagi
Pronounced as both YA-GEE and YA-GYEE, this surname could have two meanings. It could be read as Yanagi, meaning ‘willow,’ or it could be derived from the characters ya, meaning ‘eight,’ and ki, meaning ‘tree’ or ‘wood.’
7. Yagihashi
Yagihashi means ‘willow’ and ‘bridge.’ It may be considered a topographical surname.
8. Yagino
A variant of Yanagino and a topographical surname, Yagino is derived from the characters ya, gi, and no, which mean ‘eight,’ ‘tree,’ and ‘field,’ respectively.
9. Yaginuma
Derived from the Japanese characters yagi and numa, this surname means ‘willow’ and ‘swamp.’ It is considered a topographical surname.
10. Yahaba
Yahaba is a habitational name derived from the village of the same name in Shiwa district in present-day Iwate and Akita. It is also written as Yahaha.
11. Yajima
Pronounced as YA-ZHEE-MA, this surname means ‘arrow’ or ‘valley’ combined with ‘island.’ It is considered to be a topographic surname.
12. Yajin
Yajin is one of the rarely used Japanese last names that starts with Y. It is derived from the characters ya, which means ‘night’ or ‘evening,’ and jin, which means ‘battle formation’ or ‘camp.’
13. Yakumo
Pronounced as YAA-KUU-MO and also used as a first name, Yakumo’s characters mean ‘eight,’ ‘question mark’ or ‘expert,’ and ‘cloud.’
14. Yakushiji
Yakushiji is a habitational name from a village in the district of Kawachi in present-day Tochigi. It is also spelled as Yanshiji, Yakushigami, and Yakushinji.
15. Yamabe
Another topographic name, Yamabe means ‘mountain’ and ‘part’ or ‘section.’ It is pronounced as YA-MA-BEH.
16. Yamabi
Pronounced as YA-MA-BYEE and alternatively written as Yamahi and Yamaka, Yamabi is an honorific surname. It means ‘mountain’ and ‘fire’ and was given to the leader of the Morioka Domain who was warmed by the residents of the mountainous area using flint to start a fire.
17. Yamabushi
Yama means ‘mountain’ or ‘hill’ and bushi means ‘warrior’ or ‘samurai,’ typically given to a warrior from the mountains. Yamabushi is an occupational surname.
18. Yamada
Yamada means ‘mountain rice field’ and is considered a topographic name. It is the 12th most common Japanese surname. Isuzu Yamada is one of the most well-known Japanese actresses of all time and is a notable bearer of this surname.
19. Yamadera
A topographic surname, Yamadera means ‘mountain temple’ or ‘hill temple.’
20. Yamagishi
Another surname derived from the character yama, Yamagishi means ‘mountain bank’ or ‘mountain shore.’ It is a topographic surname.
21. Yamaguchi
Pronounced as YA-MA-GOO-CHEE, this surname means ‘mountain entrance.’ It is a topographic surname. Kristi Yamaguchi, an American figure skater, is a famous person with this surname. She is the first Asian American to win an Olympic gold medal in figure skating.
22. Yamaha
Surprisingly, Yamaha is more commonly found in Brazil than in Japan. It means ‘mountain’ and ‘leaf.’ One of the most well-known people with this name is Torakusu Yamaha, the founder of the Yamaha Corporation.
23. Yamamori
Also written as Moriyama, this surname is topographic. It means ‘mountain’ and ‘forest.’
24. Yamamoto
Yamamoto is a topographic name given to a person who lives at ‘the foot or base of the mountain.’ It is one of the most common surnames in Japan and is mostly found in Osaka (1) (2). Award-winning Japanese actress Fujiko Yamamoto is a notable person with this surname. She is also considered as one of the most beautiful women in Japan.
25. Yamane
Yamane means ‘mountain root.’ It is a topographic surname with many occurrences in the Tokyo-Saitama prefectures in the present day.
26. Yamasaki
A variant of Yamazaki, this surname means ‘mountain peninsula’ or ‘mountain promontory.’ Minoru Yamasaki is a prominent person with this surname. He was a Japanese-American architect, best known for designing the World Trade Center in New York.
27. Yamasato
Another surname derived from a landform, Yamasato means ‘mountain village county,’ among several other meanings. Ryota Yamasato, a Japanese comedian and TV and radio personality, is a popular bearer of this surname. He is often referred to as Yama-chan.
28. Yamashita
Yamashita is a topographic surname and may be pronounced either as YA-MA-SHEE-TA or YA-MASH-TA. It means ‘under the mountain’ or ‘below the mountain.’
29. Yamato
Yamato is derived from the same given name and means ‘mountain’ or ‘great harmony.’ Alternatively, Yamato could be a variant reading of Nihon, which means ‘Japan.’
30. Yamauchi
Another surname derived from a landform, Yamauchi means ‘inside the mountain.’
31. Yanagida
Yanagida means ‘willow rice field.’ One of the most popular people with this name is Hideaki Yanagida, a Japanese wrestler. He is known for winning gold at the 1972 Summer Olympics.
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32. Yanagihara
Yanagihara means ‘willow field’ or ‘willow plain.’ Hanya Yanagihara is an American author and travel writer, known for her bestselling novel A Little Life which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.
33. Yanagisawa
Another surname that is derived from yanagi, which means ‘willow,’ Yanagisawa is a topographic surname that means ‘willow marsh.’
34. Yano
Yano means ‘arrow field.’ It is a topographic surname.
35. Yaoyorozu
Yaoyorozu is a rare Japanese surname. Its characters mean ‘eight,’ ‘one hundred,’ and ‘ten thousand.’
36. Yasuda
Pronounced as YA-SOO-DA, this surname is also topographic. Yasu means ‘peace’ and ‘quiet’ or ‘protect’ and ‘maintain,’ while ta means ‘field’ or ‘rice paddy.’
37. Yasue
Yasue is pronounced as YA-SOO-EH and means ‘peace’ and ‘bay.’
38. Yasuki
Also used as a first name for boys, Yasuki means ‘relaxing tree.’
39. Yasunami
Yasu means ‘peace’ and nami means ‘wave’ in Japanese. Yasunami means ‘calm wave’ and has other forms such as Aba and Aha.
40. Yasutomi
Also written as Tomiyasu, this surname means ‘peaceful wealth.’ It may be a topographic name.
41. Yasuyama
A topographic name for a person living near a mountain, Yasuyama means ‘peaceful mountain.’
42. Yatsuyama
Interestingly, Yatsuyama is a variant reading of Hachiyama and means ‘eight mountains.’
43. Yokobe
Pronounced as YO-KO-BEH, this surname is topographic. It means ‘beside a section’ or ‘next to a part.’
44. Yokohama
Yokohama means ‘beside the beach’ or ‘horizontal beach.’ It is also the name of the second-most populous city in Japan, which is also the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture.
45. Yokohori
Also spelled as Yokobori, Yokohori means ‘beside the moat’ or ‘next to the canal.’
46. Yokoi
Yokoi means ‘beside the well’ or ‘next to the mine shaft.’ It is a topographic surname pronounced as YO-KO-EE.
47. Yokomizo
Another topographic surname, Yokomizo means ‘beside the groove’ or ‘beside the ditch.’ One of the most well-known bearers of this name is Seishi Yokomizo, a Japanese mystery novelist. He is known for creating the fictional detective Kosuke Kindaichi.
48. Yokomori
A topographic surname, Yokomori means ‘next to the forest.’
49. Yokosawa
Yoko means ‘beside’ or ‘next to,’ while sawa means ‘marsh.’ Yokosawa is a topographic name for a person who lived near a marsh.
50. Yokoshima
Yokoshima is made of the characters yoko, meaning ‘side,’ ‘beside,’ or ‘next to,’ and shima, meaning ‘island.’ It is a topographic name for a person who lives near an island.
51. Yokota
Yokota means ‘beside the rice field.’ Jun’ya Yokota was a well-known Japanese science fiction writer and a history researcher. He also won multiple awards for his work. Another popular bearer of this surname was 16th-century samurai Yokota Takatoshi. He was one of the Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen in the Sengoku period.
52. Yokoya
Yokoya is a variant of Yokotani that means ‘next to the valley.’
53. Yokoyama
Yokoyama means ‘beside the mountain.’ Alternatively, it could be a combination of Yoko, meaning ‘light,’ ‘sun,’ ‘male,’ ‘ocean,’ and ‘child,’ and Yama, meaning ‘mountain.’
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54. Yomohiro
Pronounced as YO-MO-KHEE-RO, this surname is rarely used in Japan. It means ‘four directions’ and ‘extension.’
55. Yonaga
Meaning ‘a long night,’ Yonaga is one of the Japanese last names derived from natural elements.
56. Yonao
Yo means ‘to bestow’ or ‘gift,’ while nao means ‘still.’ Yonao is one of the last names derived from the same first name.
57. Yoneda
Yoneda could mean ‘many rice fields’ or simply ‘rice field.’ It is a topographic surname.
58. Yonekura
Another surname derived from the Japanese word yone, this surname means ‘rice granary’ or ‘rice storehouse.’
59. Yoruno
Yoru means ‘night’ in Japanese. In Yoruno, it is combined with no, which means ‘field’ or ‘wilderness.’
60. Yoshi
Pronounced as YO-SHEE, this surname is derived from the same Japanese word that means ‘good luck’ or ‘fortune.’
61. Yoshida
Yoshida is derived from the Japanese word yoshi, meaning ‘good luck,’ and ta, meaning ‘field’ or ‘rice paddy.’ It is again a topographic name.
Did you know?62. Yoshinaga
Yoshinaga means ‘good luck’ and ‘perpetual.’ It could have originated as a nickname for a person who always found good returns.
63. Yoshino
Yoshino is composed of the elements yoshi, which means ‘good luck,’ and no, which means ‘field’ or ‘wilderness.’
64. Yoshioka
Pronounced as YO-SHEE-O-KA, this surname means ‘good luck’ and ‘hill.’ It could be possibly a topographic name for a person living near a hill of good luck.
65. Yuasa
Yuasa means ‘shallow hot spring.’ It is a topographic surname and is pronounced as YOO-A-SA.
66. Yube
A variant of Yumbe, Yube is pronounced as YOO-BEH. It is an occupational name meaning ‘bow’ or ‘archery’ and ‘division,’ and possibly given to an archer.
67. Yuge
Yuge is the variant of the Japanese surname Kekke. It could mean ‘attaining nirvana’ or ‘account settlement’ according to the characters used to write the name.
68. Yui
Pronounced as YOO-EE, the characters in this surname mean ‘reason’ and ‘well.’ It is also used as a first name for girls. Kimiya Yui and Kiyoo Yui are two famous people with this surname. While the former is a Japanese astronaut, the latter is a hurdler and a former Olympian.
69. Yūki
Yūki consists of the characters yū, which means ‘tie’ or ‘bind,’ and ki, which means ‘castle.’ Its variant is Yuuki.
70. Yukimori
Another Japanese surname that may be both topographical and nature-inspired, Yukimori means ‘snow forest.’
71. Yukimura
Yukimura means ‘snow town’ or ‘snow village.’ It is a toponymic given to a person from such a place. Izumi Yukimura is a popular Japanese singer and actress.
72. Yukiyama
Pronounced as YUU-KEE-YAA-MAH, this surname means ‘blessing,’ ‘snow,’ and ‘journey.’ Incidentally, it also means ‘snow mountain.’
73. Yuzuki
Yuzuki is a topographic surname. It means ‘grapefruit tree’ and may be given to a person who lives near such a tree or woods.
Discover more Japanese surnames.
Spanish Last Names That Start With Y
Spanish last names starting with Y are rooted in Spanish culture and history. They often have Basque origins, too.
74. Yagüe
Yagüe is a Spanish surname that is derived from Santi Yague, the Old Spanish word for Santiago. Interestingly, it is also a French surname.
75. Yanas
Yanas is alternatively spelled as Mañas in Spanish. It is derived from maña, which means ‘trick’ or ‘stratagem,’ and was a nickname for a skillful person.
76. Yáñez
Also written as Yanez in unaccented form, this surname is derived from the first name Juan or John. It means ‘God is gracious.’
Trivia77. Yanza
A Spanish and Italian surname, Yanza means ‘dance’ and is possibly an occupational surname for a dancer.
78. Yarzagaray
Yarzagaray is an Aruban surname that has Basque origins. It is used mostly among the Spanish people in the Caribbean.
79. Yauri
A variant of Lauro, Yauri means laurel.’ It is used as a Spanish, Italian, and Finnish surname.
80. Ybarra
Ybarra is the variant of Ibarra. These habitational surnames are derived from the Basque word ibar, which means ‘meadow.’
81. Ycaza
The Spanish surname has Basque origins. It is the Castilianized form of Ikaza or Ikatza, which is a habitational name that denotes abundance.
82. Yebra
Yebra is a habitational surname derived from several places in León, Guadalajara, and Huesca. The place name is of pre-Roman origin.
83. Yepes
Another habitational name, Yepes is derived from the place of the same name in Toledo province. It was named Hippo or Hipona in pre-Roman times. The birth name of the Catholic saint John of the Cross was Juan de Yepes y Álvarez (3).
84. Yera
Yera is a habitational name derived from a place so named in Cantabria. This surname is mainly used in Cuba.
85. Yerba
A Spanish surname that means ‘willow,’ Yerba is also used as a Ukrainian surname, mainly among Jews.
86. Yero
Yero is a habitational name derived from the place so named in Cuenca province. It is also used as a West African surname.
87. Yeverino
Yeverino is derived from the first name Severino. It means ‘harsh’ or ‘austere’ and is also used as an Italian surname.
88. Yglesias
Yglesias is the Spanish variant of Iglesias. They are habitational surnames derived from the place of the same name in Burgos province. It is derived from the word iglesia, which means ‘church.’ The Yglesias family is a well-known family of writers and journalists. The family consists of writers Jose and his wife Helen and their sons, Rafael, a novelist, and Matthew, a journalist.
89. Yñiguez
Also spelled as Yniguez, this surname is a variant of Íñiguez. It means ‘son of Inigo’ and is used both in Spain and Latin American countries.
90. Yorba
Yorba is the variant of Jorba. It is a habitational surname of Catalan origin.
91. Yracheta
Yracheta is a Spanish surname with Basque origins. It is a habitational name and means ‘a place with ferns.’
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92. Yrigoyen
A rare Spanish surname, Yrigoyen is a habitational name derived from a place name in Gipuzkoa province.
93. Ysasi
Ysasi has Basque origins and is a habitational surname. It is derived from the name of a village in Biscay and means ‘river bush.’
94. Yslas
Yslas is the Spanish variant of Islas. It is a habitational surname from a place called Islas in Málaga and Ciudad Real. It could also be a topographic name meaning ‘from the islands.’
95. Ytuarte
With Basque origins, Ytuarte is a variant of Ituarte, which is a topographic name.
96. Yzaguirre
Yzaguirre also has Basque origins. It is the Castilianized form of Izagirre, which is a topographic name meaning ‘exposed to wind.’
Discover more Spanish surnames.
Chinese Last Names That Start With Y
Like Japanese last names, Chinese surnames, too, may have different meanings according to the characters used to write them. However, these last names with Y are usually topographic.
97. Yam
The Cantonese variant of Ren, Yam is also used as a Hebrew surname.
98. Yan
Yan could have several meanings including ‘strict,’ ‘gate,’ and ‘color.’ Incidentally, it is also used as the Russified version of Yang. Yan You was the founder of Xiao Zhu during the Zhou dynasty. He is the first recorded Yan in Chinese history.
99. Yang
Yang means ‘willow,’ ‘poplar,’ or ‘aspen.’ It is used as a toponymic surname.
100. Yanqi
Yanqi is pronounced as Yan-CWEE. It is a habitational name derived from the ancient kingdom of Karasahr.
101. Yao
Also written as Yau, this surname is derived from a nickname. It means ‘handsome’ or ‘elegant.’
102. Yap
Yap is a Chinese Hakka and Hokkien surname. It is the variant of Ye, which means ‘leaf.’
103. Yau
Yau could be a variant of Yao. Alternatively, it could be the Cantonese version of Qiu, which is a habitational name from a place named Yingqiu that existed in the Qing dynasty.
104. Yaw
The Cantonese variant of Qiu and a habitational surname, Yaw is also used as an Irish and English surname with different meanings.
105. Ye
Ye is derived from the Chinese word yè and means ‘leaf.’ It is pronounced as YU. Ye Rongguang and Ye Jiangchuan are well-known Chinese chess grandmasters. The former was the first ever Chinese chess player to become a grandmaster, followed by the latter.
106. Yeap
The Hakka and Hokkien version of Ye, Yeap means ‘leaf’ and was likely used as a nickname in earlier times.
107. Yeh
Yeh is another variant of Ye. It means ‘leaf’ and has other variations such as Yip and Yap.
108. Yen
Yen is the variant of Yan, another Chinese surname. It could have several meanings including ‘solemn,’ ‘gate,’ and ‘color.’
109. Yeo
Yeo is pronounced as YOON or YAWN in Hokkien. It is the variant of Yang, which means ‘willow,’ ‘poplar,’ or ‘aspen.’
110. Yeoh
Yeoh is a topographic surname that can be considered a variant of Yeo and Yang. It means ‘willow’ or ‘aspen.’ Michelle Yeoh is a famous bearer of this name. She is a Malaysian actress known for starring in several Hollywood films such as Tomorrow Never Dies and Crouching Tiger, and Hidden Dragon. She also has won several awards, including the Oscar for Everything Everywhere All At Once.
111. Yeow
A Hokkien and Teochew surname, Yeow is a variant of Yao, which means ‘handsome’ and ‘elegant’ and is pronounced as YOW in Hokkien and YO in Teochew.
112. Yeung
Yeung is pronounced as YUUNG and is the Cantonese version of Yang. It is also used as a Korean surname.
113. Yick
Alternatively written as Yik, this surname is the Cantonese version of Yi. These surnames are derived from the surname Li, which means ‘plum’ or ‘plum tree.’
114. Yim
Pronounced as YEEM, this surname is the Cantonese version of Yan. Yim is also used as a Vietnamese surname in Khmer.
115. Yin
Yin could be derived from the same given name meaning ‘silver,’ ‘sound,’ or ‘shade.’ It could also be an occupational name for a title of a ministerial position or a habitational name from the ancient city of Yin.
116. Ying
Ying is pronounced as EENG. It is a habitational name derived from the ancient state of Ying in the Zhou dynasty (in present-day Henan province).
117. Yip
Also written as Ip or Jip, this surname is a Cantonese version of Ye. It means ‘leaf’ and was likely used as a nickname before transitioning into a last name.
118. Yiu
The Cantonese version of Yao, Yiu means ‘handsome’ and ‘elegant.’
119. Yong
Yong is the Hakka version of Yang, which means ‘willow’ or ‘poplar.’ It is also used as a Korean and English surname with different meanings.
120. You
You means ‘especially’ or ‘particularly.’ It is pronounced as YO.
121. Young
Young is a variant of Yang. It could mean ‘poplar’ or ‘aspen’ or could also refer to the ‘yang’ in Chinese philosophy.
Point to remember122. Yow
Written variously as You, Yaw. Yao, Iao, and Iau, this surname is the Hokkien version of Yao or Rao. Yao means ‘handsome’ and ‘elegant,’ while Rao is a habitational name from the ancient region of Rao in Zhao.
123. Yu
Yu could have several meanings depending on the characters used to write the surname. It could mean ‘in,’ ‘on,’ ‘at,’ ‘surplus,’ ‘consent,’ ‘approve,’ and ‘concerned.’
124. Yuan
Yuan is pronounced as WEHN. It means ‘origin’ or ‘source.’
125. Yue
Yue may be the Cantonese variant of Yu, which means ‘surplus.’ Alternatively, it could be derived from the ancient title of Tai Yue, which was given to officials who conducted sacrifices on mountains.
126. Yueh
A variation of Yue, Yueh is mainly used in Taiwan.
127. Yuen
Yuen is the Cantonese version of Ruan. It is the name of a musical instrument that is similar to a lute and was possibly given as a nickname for a player of this instrument.
128. Yung
Yung is the Cantonese version of Rong or Weng. Rong could be a habitational or occupational surname, while Weng means ‘elderly man.’
Discover more Chinese last names.
Hispanic Last Names That Start With Y
129. Yac
Yac is an Amerindian surname used predominantly in Guatemala. It has Mayan origins and means ‘fox.’
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130. Yambo
A Spanish surname used in Hispanic countries, Yambo is mainly found in Puerto Rico.
131. Yaranga
Yaranga is a Hispanic surname mainly used in Peru. It could mean ‘forgiveness’ and could also be a Russian surname.
132. Ybañez
Alternatively spelled as Ybanez, Ibañez, and Ibanez, this surname means ‘son of Iban,’ and is a derivative of John. It is used mainly in the Philippines.
133. Ybarbo
Ybarbo is a Hispanic surname that has Basque origins. It means ‘meadow,’ ‘riverbank,’ or ‘valley.’
134. Yepez
Also written as Yépez, this surname is a variant of Yepes. It is a habitational name.
135. Yepiz
Another variant of Yepez and Yepes, Yepiz is used mainly in Mexico.
136. Yerena
Yerena is a Hispanic surname mainly used in Mexico. It is a variant of Llerena, which is a habitational name from the place of the same name in Badajoz province.
137. Yerbabuena
Yerbabuena is a Spanish surname used mainly in Latin America. It means ‘good herb’ in Spanish.
138. Yesca
Another Mexican surname, Yesca is the variant of Illescas. It is a habitational name from the town of the same name in Toledo province.
139. Yescas
A Spanish surname mainly used in Mexico, Yescas is a variant of Illescas. These habitational surnames are derived from the town of the same name in the Toledo province.
140. Yisselin
Yisselin is a Spanish surname that is used mainly in Latin American countries. It is rarely found in Spain.
141. Ynfante
Another surname that is used in Hispanic countries, Ynfante is the variant of Infante. It means ‘child.’
142. Ynoa
Ynoa is a Hispanic surname that is predominantly used in the Dominican Republic. It is a variant of Inoa.
143. Yoami
Also written as Yoamy, this Spanish surname is used in Mexico. It is a rare last name.
144. Yoc
Yoc is a Spanish surname mainly used in Guatemala and Mexico. It is used predominantly among Amerindian people and has Mayan origins.
145. Yoguez
Yoguez is mainly used in Mexico and has Catalan origins. It is a topographic name that means ‘walnut tree.’
146. Yris
Yris is a Spanish surname used predominantly in Mexico. It is believed to be derived from Orris, which may be associated with Horace.
147. Yruegas
A variant of Iruegas, Yrugas has Basque origins and is found mainly in Mexico.
148. Ysais
Ysias is a variant of the biblical personal name Isaias. It means ‘God is salvation.’
149. Yunga
Yunga is a Castilianized form of the term yunka, which means ‘Andean valley’ and ‘lowland jungle.’ It is an Amerindian surname.
150. Yupa
Another Amerindian surname, Yupa has roots in the Quechua language. It means ‘abundant.’
151. Yzquierdo
Yzquierdo is derived from the word izquierdo, meaning ‘left,’ and was given as a nickname to a left-handed person. It is predominantly used in Mexico and Peru.
Discover more Mexican last names.
Discover More Names
When you have to choose a name for your baby, a few hundreds of names may not be just enough. Keep digging our mine of baby names until you find that one precious gem.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are there famous individuals with last names that start with Y?
Yes, there are several well-known people with last names that start with Y. Some of them include Pakistani activist Malala Yousafza, Japanese inventor and businessman Torakusu Yamaha, and Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh.
2. How common are compound last names that start with Y?
Compound last names starting with Y are rarely used. However, they might exist in some countries or languages. Moreover, you can also choose to create a compound last name starting with Y by combining the surnames of both parents.
Last names that start with Y have seen popularity in different countries and languages. Names such as Yang, Yen, You, and Yokota are popular in China and Japan due to their ties with their histories and cultures. Spanish and Hispanic names such as Yñiguez and Yepez are common in Spanish-speaking countries. These last names connect generations and their unique spelling generates a sense of belonging. Most of these last names are topographic and habitational, while there are some occupational, too, Moreover, these last names include patronymics and nicknames. All these different names with different meanings and origins come together to tell the story of a rich culture.
Key Pointers
- Last names that start with Y are common in Japan and China.
- They may be often found in Spain and Hispanic countries.
- Most of these last names are habitational or topographic.
- Last names starting with Y such as Yeoh and Yamaha are recognized globally due to their major contributions to their fields.
References
- 100 Most Popular Japanese Surnames.
https://www.jcccnc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/100-Most-Popular-Japanese-Surnames.pdf - “Nice to Meet You, My Name is OO!”: Family Names in Japan.
https://www.sg.emb-japan.go.jp/JCC/E-Magazine-Jun-2021-Names.html - St. John of the Cross.
https://faith.nd.edu/s/1210/faith/interior.aspx?sid=1210&gid=609&pgid=12434&cid=26556&ecid=26556&crid=0&calpgid=10817&calcid=24284
