You
A nickname surname probably referring to a person’s clothing or appearance, with early English and possibly French influence.
The #6,486 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 58,988 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname You is usually explained as a nickname surname. In Lower’s 19th-century dictionary it is linked to “yellow,” suggesting an original bearer known for some peculiarity of costume or perhaps color. The form may also reflect an older French-influenced nickname tradition, though the exact pathway is not fully certain.
History
Because this is a short and uncommon surname, it is hard to trace a single origin with confidence. It appears in English surname collections as a nickname-type name rather than a patronymic or place-name. Modern bearers are found mostly in the English-speaking world, including the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Very short surnames like You often preserve clipped older forms that can be hard to interpret without local records.
From the historical record
“YOU 394 YUL YELLOW. From peculiarity of costume in the original bearer — analogous to Blue, Scarlett, &c.”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom