# Yates

/ˈjeɪts/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/yates
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a surname

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal

a common family name in English-speaking countries.

For teachers: a common English surname, originally a topographic name for someone who lived near a gate.

- Mr. Yates will be your new history teacher this semester.
- The archival records indicate that the Yates family held significant land in the county during the eighteenth century.

### 2. a place name

noun · CEFR C2 · American English

the name of several small towns or areas in the United States.

For teachers: a toponym referring to various unincorporated communities and townships in the United States, such as those in Montana or Missouri.

- They drove through Yates on their way to the national park.
- The small community of Yates remains a quiet agricultural hub, largely unchanged by the rapid urbanization of the surrounding region.

## Examples

- Mr. Yates is our new history teacher.
- The local library was named after the Yates family, who donated the land over a century ago.
- In his genealogical research, he discovered that the Yates lineage could be traced back to a small village in northern England during the seventeenth century.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.