YATES
Yates is an English surname whose origins lie within the British Isles, specifically England. The name is articulated in the English language and has historically been borne by Christian families.
It is derived from the Middle English word yate or yat, meaning gate. In the medieval period it typically served as a topographic name for a person who lived near a prominent gatehouse or who worked at a city gate.
Alternatively, the surname could be locational, designating an individual originating from one of the various places called Yate in England. It may also have described the keeper of a gate, and in the West Country the name is especially well‑documented.
Variations of the spelling reflect dialectal differences. The original g in the Old English word geat was pronounced as a y, producing variants such as Gate, Gayte, Gates, Yeats and Yetts. The forms yate, yates and yeats are all recognised dialectal alternatives.
The earliest documentary reference dates from the Anglo‑Saxon Charters of 779, where the term aet Gete is used descriptively rather than as a hereditary surname. The name truly entered the hereditary register only after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The earliest recorded uses include Philip del Yate in the Pipe Rolls of Cheshire for 1260 and Robert atte Yates in the Assize Rolls of Norfolk for 1344.
Later mentions of the surname appear throughout the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, such as Edwarde Yates, who married Jane Atkinson at Thirsk, Yorkshire, on 13 September 1583; Lawrence Yate of Nether Darwen, Cheshire in 1606; and John Yeats, who married Ann Davis at St Georges Chapel, Hanover Square, London in 1753. In 1624, a Mr Yates is recorded as one of the earliest settlers in the American colonies, specifically Elizabeth Cittie, Virginea.
The earliest recorded spelling that bears the contemporary family name is that of Hereward de Jette, dated 1198 in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire during King Richard I's reign (1189‑1199). This document marks the transition of the name from a descriptive term to a recognised hereditary surname.
Typical given names associated with the Yates surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Anne
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Yates in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Yates are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Dark chocolate & ginger.
There are approximately 35,716 people named Yates in the UK. That makes it the 214th most common surname in Britain. Around 548 in a million people in Britain are named Yates.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Yates
- Dorian Yates - Bodybuilder
- Paula Yates - Television presenter and writer (1959 to 2000)
- Reggie Yates - Actor, television presenter and radio DJ
- David Yates - Filmmaker
- Peter Yates - Film director and producer (1929 to 2011)
- Jess Yates - Television presenter and producer (1918 to 1993)
- Pauline Yates - Actress (1929 to 2015)
- Andrea Yates - American who killed her children
- Jerry Yates - Football player
- Simon Yates - Cyclist
- Frances Yates - Writer, historian (1899 to 1981)
- Adam Yates - Racing cyclist
- Dean Yates - Football player
- Dornford Yates - Writer (1885 to 1960)
- Mark Yates - Football player, football manager
- Marjorie Yates - Actress
- Frank Yates - Statistician (1902 to 1994)
- Ryan Yates - Professional football player
- Steve Yates - Football player
- Fred Yates - Painter (1922 to 2008)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.