Show ContentsYoder History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Yoder family

The surname Yoder was first found in Westphalia, where the name emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families in the western region. From the 13th century onwards the surname was identified with the great social and economic evolution which made this territory a landmark contributor to the development of the nation.

Early History of the Yoder family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Yoder research. Another 83 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Yoder History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Yoder Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Yoder, Joder, Jode, Jodder, Yodder, Joderli and others.

Early Notables of the Yoder family

Notables of the period with the name Yoder were

  • the Yoder family of Westphalia

Yoder Ranking

In the United States, the name Yoder is the 1,118th most popular surname with an estimated 27,357 people with that name. [1]


United States Yoder migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Yoder Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Barbara Yoder who settled in Philadelphia in 1742 with her two sons, Jacob and Christian
  • Jacob Yoder, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1742 [2]
  • Melchior Yoder, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1765 [2]
Yoder Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Joseph Yoder, who landed in New York in 1835 [2]
  • John Yoder who arrived in Ohio in 1862
  • Marie Yoder who settled in New York in 1865

Contemporary Notables of the name Yoder (post 1700) +

  • Richard "Dick" Yoder (1937-2016), American politician and academic, 57th Mayor of West Chester, Pennsylvania (2002-2010)
  • Lloyd E. Yoder (1903-1967), American college football player, inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1982
  • Carl M. Yoder (1885-1944), American industrialist, founder and president of The Yoder Company from 1910 until his death in 1944
  • Samuel S. Yoder (1841-1921), American politician, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio's 4th district (1887-1891)
  • Edwin Milton Yoder (b. 1934), American Pulitzer Prize winning journalist
  • Bradley Howard "Brad" Yoder (b. 1971), American film actor and producer, known for producing Call of the Wildman (2011) and Extreme Couponing (2011)
  • Brad Yoder, American songwriter/performer living in Pittsburgh
  • Shelli Renee Yoder (b. 1968), American business manager, educator, politician and former model, Miss Indiana (1992), Member of the Monroe County, Indiana County Council from the 1st district (2013)
  • Kevin Wayne Yoder (b. 1976), American politician, United States Representative from Kansas's 3rd congressional district (2011)
  • Walter "Walt" Yoder (1914-1978), American jazz bass musician, best known for his work with Woody Herman, Tommy Dorsey, and Jimmy Dorsey
  • ... (Another 25 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


Suggested Readings for the name Yoder +

  • History of the Yoder Family in North Carolina by Fred Roy Yoder.
  • The Christian J. Yoder and Catherine Bacher Yoder Family Genealogy by Richard J. Yoder.
  • Descendants of Jacob Yothers, Bucks County, Pennsylvania by Richard J. Yothers.

  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook