UK surname

Yeoh

A Chinese surname meaning "excellent" or "high quality."

In the 1881 census there were 1 people recorded with the Yeoh surname, ranking it #34,027 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 232, ranked #17,694, up from #34,027 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster and Camden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Yeoh is 232 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23100.0%.

1881 census count

Ranked #34,027

Modern count

232

2016, ranked #17,694

Peak year

2016

232 bearers

Map years

1998 to 2016

Key insights

• Yeoh had 1 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #34,027 surname in that year.
• The latest modern count shown here is 232 in 2016, ranked #17,694.
• Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1 in 1881.
• The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Map

Yeoh surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Yeoh surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Year

Loading map

Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Yeoh 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
1881	historical	1	#34,027
1997	modern	111	#25,394
1998	modern	111	#25,990
1999	modern	120	#24,960
2000	modern	138	#22,960
2001	modern	137	#22,740
2002	modern	143	#22,595
2003	modern	135	#23,155
2004	modern	148	#22,000
2005	modern	163	#20,627
2006	modern	155	#21,477
2007	modern	177	#19,965
2008	modern	181	#19,875
2009	modern	185	#20,010
2010	modern	208	#18,956
2011	modern	206	#18,907
2012	modern	224	#17,786
2013	modern	231	#17,703
2014	modern	228	#17,977
2015	modern	225	#18,050
2016	modern	232	#17,694

Geography

Where Yeohs 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 Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster, Camden and Cambridge. 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	Kensington and Chelsea 020	Kensington and Chelsea
2	Westminster 016	Westminster
3	Camden 025	Camden
4	Cambridge 007	Cambridge
5	Camden 026	Camden

Forenames

First names often paired with Yeoh

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Recent female names

Susan Sharon Joanne Emily Rebecca Siew Soo Aimee Zarina Mei

Recent male names

Christopher Benjamin Andrew David Alexander Michael Kean Jin Nicholas Wei

Modern profile

Neighbourhood profile for Yeoh

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Yeoh, 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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Yeoh surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Yeoh household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Yeoh is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Yeoh 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.

Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Yeoh falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Yeoh is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate: Asian - Chinese

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

Origin

Meaning and origin of Yeoh

The surname Yeoh has its origins in the Southeast Asian region, with significant prevalence in Malaysia and Singapore. The name is of Chinese descent, particularly from the Hokkien or Teochew dialects, where it is rendered as Yáng in Mandarin. The characters associated with Yeoh (usually 杨 in Mandarin) mean 'poplar tree' or 'willow tree,' pointing to a natural feature or symbolic representation within the culture.

Tracing back to historical times, Chinese surnames often originated from the various ancient Chinese dynasties and were passed down through several generations. The surname Yeoh can be linked to the Yang family, one of the most common surnames in China, which means it dates back to at least the Zhou Dynasty around the 11th to 3rd centuries BC. Variations in spelling occurred due to regional pronunciations and the transliteration methods used when Chinese people migrated to different parts of Southeast Asia.

Throughout history, the surname Yeoh appears in various records and manuscripts. In early Southeast Asian documents, the name might have been transcribed differently depending on the European colonial power governing the region, such as the British in Malaysia and Singapore. Notable is the adaptation of Chinese surnames during the Straits Settlements era in the 19th century, where records would show different Romanizations of the same surname.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname Yeoh in modern history involves Yeoh Tiong Lay (born 1930, died 2017), a prominent Malaysian businessman and founder of the YTL Corporation, which played a significant role in the development of Malaysia's infrastructure. His successes brought considerable recognition to the name, linking it to modern industrial progress in Malaysia.

Another notable individual is Michelle Yeoh, born in 1962. She is an internationally acclaimed actress known for her roles in action films and for breaking barriers in the film industry as one of the first Asian actresses to gain significant success in Hollywood. Her career has spanned several decades, bringing attention to the name Yeoh beyond Southeast Asian borders.

Yeoh Ghim Seng (1918–2000) was another significant bearer of the surname. He served as the Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore from 1970 to 1989. His contribution to Singapore’s political landscape marks a historical reference point for the name in the context of governance and public service.

In the academic field, Yeoh Eng-kiong, born in 1946, stands out. He served as the Secretary for Health, Welfare, and Food in Hong Kong and has made significant contributions to public health and hospital management in the region.

Lastly, Yeoh Cheng Han (born 1950), a renowned scientist specializing in ophthalmology, has also contributed notably to medical research, particularly in the field of contemporary treatments for eye diseases. His work has earned international recognition, further situating the surname Yeoh within the annals of scientific achievement.

The surname Yeoh thus has a rich history, crossing geographic, professional, and cultural boundaries, and continues to be associated with notable achievements and contributions in various fields around the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Yeoh families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Yeoh surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 1 Yeohs recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.37x.

County	Total	Frequency	Index
Middlesex	1	0.00%	10.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Newington London in Middlesex leads with 1 Yeohs recorded in 1881 and an index of 1250.00x.

Place	Total	Frequency	Index
Stoke Newington London	1	0.00%	1250.00x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Yeoh surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name	Count
Mary	1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Yeoh households.

Occupation	Count
Visitor	1

FAQ

Yeoh surname: questions and answers

How common was the Yeoh surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1 people were recorded with the Yeoh surname. That placed it at #34,027 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Yeoh surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 232 in 2016. That gives Yeoh a modern rank of #17,694.

What does the Yeoh surname mean?

A Chinese surname meaning "excellent" or "high quality."

What does the Yeoh map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Yeoh 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.