NameCensus.

UK surname

Yau

A Chinese surname meaning "young" or "friend," or referring to someone from the ancient state of Yao.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Basildon, Maldon and The Vale of Glamorgan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Yau is 2,072 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

2,031

2016, ranked #3,171

Peak year

2011

2,072 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,031 in 2016, ranked #3,171.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Yau surname distribution map

The map shows where the Yau surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Yau surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Yau over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1997 modern 1,469 #3,981
1998 modern 1,578 #3,880
1999 modern 1,668 #3,721
2000 modern 1,709 #3,625
2001 modern 1,677 #3,618
2002 modern 1,775 #3,514
2003 modern 1,808 #3,383
2004 modern 1,815 #3,370
2005 modern 1,840 #3,297
2006 modern 1,887 #3,250
2007 modern 1,914 #3,234
2008 modern 1,909 #3,263
2009 modern 1,966 #3,261
2010 modern 2,067 #3,187
2011 modern 2,072 #3,146
2012 modern 2,014 #3,175
2013 modern 2,060 #3,165
2014 modern 2,072 #3,168
2015 modern 2,052 #3,161
2016 modern 2,031 #3,171

Geography

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Where Yaus are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Basildon, Maldon, The Vale of Glamorgan, St. Helens and Pembrokeshire. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Basildon 004 Basildon
2 Maldon 008 Maldon
3 The Vale of Glamorgan 006 Vale of Glamorgan
4 St. Helens 010 St. Helens
5 Pembrokeshire 005 Pembrokeshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Yau

These lists show first names that appear often with the Yau surname in historical and recent records.

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Yau

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Yau, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Yau surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Yau household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Yau is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Yau is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Yau falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Yau is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Asian - Chinese

This describes the area pattern most associated with Yau, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Yau

The surname Yau originates from the Southern Chinese province of Guangdong, where it emerged in the late 7th century during the Tang Dynasty. It is believed to be derived from the Cantonese word "yau," which means "wealthy" or "prosperous." This connection suggests that the name was initially given to families who had achieved a certain level of affluence or success.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Yau surname can be found in the genealogical records of the Tang Dynasty, where it is mentioned in relation to a prominent family from the city of Guangzhou. This family was known for their successful trading ventures and their involvement in the local government.

During the Song Dynasty, which ruled from 960 to 1279, the Yau surname gained further recognition. Several individuals bearing this name held important positions within the imperial court, including Yau Chun-Fai, a renowned scholar and poet who lived from 1022 to 1088.

In the 13th century, the Yau surname appeared in the historical records of the Yuan Dynasty, which governed over a vast territory that included modern-day China, Mongolia, and parts of Russia. One notable figure from this period was Yau Siu-Ling, a military commander who played a significant role in the conquest of the Dali Kingdom in Yunnan Province.

As the centuries passed, the Yau surname spread across various regions of China, with notable individuals emerging in different fields. During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Yau Ching-Yan (1470-1523) was a celebrated painter and calligrapher, renowned for his exquisite landscape paintings and his mastery of the cursive script.

In the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), the Yau surname continued to be associated with prominent figures. Yau Ying-Shun (1724-1805) was a highly respected scholar and philosopher who made significant contributions to the Neo-Confucian movement. His works on ethics and social harmony had a lasting impact on Chinese intellectual thought.

Beyond China, the Yau surname has also been documented in various overseas Chinese communities, particularly in Southeast Asia and North America. One of the most notable figures with this surname is Yau Shing-Tung (1905-1994), a renowned mathematician and physicist who made groundbreaking contributions to the field of differential geometry and was awarded the prestigious Wolf Prize in 1983.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Yau surname: questions and answers

How common is the Yau surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,031 in 2016. That gives Yau a modern rank of #3,171.

What does the Yau surname mean?

A Chinese surname meaning "young" or "friend," or referring to someone from the ancient state of Yao.

What does the Yau map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Yau bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.