Yost
A surname often derived from the German given name Jost, a short form of Jodocus.
The #1,869 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 16,072 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Yost is usually explained as an Americanized spelling of German Jost, itself a short form of the medieval personal name Jodocus. That name ultimately comes from a Breton saint’s name, often linked to the idea of a pilgrim or warrior, though the route into German naming is indirect. In English-speaking records, the initial J was often written or pronounced as Y, producing forms like Yost.
History
The surname appears in North American records among families of German-speaking origin, especially where German Jost was adapted to local spelling and pronunciation. The excerpts specifically note Yost as corresponding to Jost and place it alongside other German-to-English spelling shifts. Because the same sound could be written several ways, related forms such as Joist and Jost may appear in older documents.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Old surname manuals often treat Yost as a classic example of how an initial German J could become Y in American spelling.
From the historical record
“New- York Legislature, I find Messrs. Filkin and MuLFORD ; among its senators, Messrs. Rexford, Stower, Yost, and Diven ; among its members of Assembly, Messrs. Boerum (!), Galatian, Crolius, Crist, Widrig, Teeple, Emott, Roggen, Cuck, Jack- way, CoNSELYEA, MaTTICE, TrUMPBOUR, SwARTWOOD, Tilford, Strowbridge…”
— Suffolk Surnames (3rd ed.)