[3]: 14  It derives from pigs of the British Large White or Yorkshire breed imported from the United Kingdom or from Canada at various times from about 1830 to the mid-twentieth century.

The Yorkshire was the traditional pig of the county of the same name in northern England.

Within a short time these were seen in Minnesota and, under a variety of names, in Ohio.

[4]: 538 A stock company with the name American Yorkshire Club was started in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1893,[a] and a herd-book was begun.

[4]: 539  The third edition of the herd-book in 1906 held animals registered in thirty-nine different states; the fifth edition of 1915 listed over 5300 pigs, of which only a handful were of the Small Yorkshire or Middle Yorkshire breeds.