Yeager History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

In the ancient German province of Westphalia, the surname Yeager evolved. It is a nickname, a style of hereditary surname that developed out of the traditional German eke-names, that identified people by naming them after a physical characteristic or other identifiable trait. Yeager is a name for a person who was known for his prowess and wisdom as a hunter. The name Yeager is derived from the German word "jage," which is derived from Old German word "jagen," which means "to hunt." Hunting was considered a knightly pursuit during the feudal era.

Early Origins of the Yeager family

The surname Yeager was first found in the county of Mark (Dortmund,) where the family was anciently associated with the political and religious conflicts of the area. They declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in struggles for power and status within the region. The family founded numerous branches, many of which acquired manors and estates in surrounding regions, where they contributed to the prosperity of their society. Ancient chronicles first mention a branch of the family acquiring the estates of Kaackstedt and Ringenwalde in the district of Templin around 1376, and the estate of Zehlendorf in the district of Nieder-Barnim, around 1451. Venator, the Latin form of the name, often appears in chronicles in place of Jaeger.

Early History of the Yeager family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Yeager research. Another 336 words (24 lines of text) covering the years 1678, 1698, 1771, 1780 and 1843 are included under the topic Early Yeager History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Yeager Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Yeager include Jaeger, Jeger, Jager, Jaegger, Jegger, Jagger, Jaegers, Jagers, Jaggers, Jaeggers and many more.

Early Notables of the Yeager family

Notables of the period with the name Yeager were Heinrich Christroph Jaeger, who was a professor of law in Passau and Privy Councillor and royal advisor to the Prince...
Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Yeager Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Yeager Ranking

In the United States, the name Yeager is the 1,535^th most popular surname with an estimated 19,896 people with that name. 1

Yeager migration to the United States +

For many Germans, emigration to North America was an inviting alternative to the trials of life in the old country. From the mid-17th into the present century, thousands of Germans migrated across the Atlantic. They capitalized on the chance to escape poverty and persecution, and to own their own land. After 1650, Germans settled throughout the states of Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many also landed in Canada, settling in Ontario or father west on the rich land of the prairies. Among them:

Yeager Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johannes Yeager, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1743 2
Andreas Yeager, who arrived in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania in 1764 2
George Yeager, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1765 2
John Yeager, who landed in Frederick County, Maryland in 1767 2
Andrew Yeager, aged 50, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1775 2

Yeager Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Jacob H Yeager, who arrived in Somerset County, Pennsylvania in 1844 2
Frank Peter Yeager, who landed in Savanna(h), Georgia in 1867 2
Conrad Yeager, who arrived in Arkansas in 1890 2
George Phillip Yeager, who landed in Arkansas in 1898 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Yeager (post 1700) +

Brigadier General Charles Elwood "Chuck" Yeager (1923-2020), American test pilot and retired brigadier general in the United States Air Force who broke the sound barrier and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the first pilot to travel faster than sound (1947)
Leland B. Yeager (1924-2018), American economist and an expert on monetary policy and international trade
Roy Yeager (b. 1949), American musician
Jeana Yeager (b. 1952), American aviatrix, best known for co-piloting a non-stop, non-refueled flight around the world in the Rutan Voyager (1986)
Stephen Wayne "Steve" Yeager (b. 1948), former American Major League Baseball catcher
George J. "Doc" Yeager (1874-1940), American Major League Baseball catcher
Bunny Yeager (b. 1930), American photographer
William "Bill" Yeager (b. 1940), American engineer, inventor of a packet-switched router
Charles E. Chuck Yeager, American fighter pilot and flying ace in the U.S. Army Air Forces, during World War II, credited with 11½ aerial victories
C. F. Yeager, American Republican politician, Chair of Lincoln County Republican Party, 1940-42 3
... (Another 25 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html