York Lane is first recorded in 1819 on Bradshaw's plan of Belfast, a little later than York Street, onto which it issued. It is now only open at the upper end where it joins Frederick Street. Marcus Patton describes it as "lined by utilitarian warehouses" (Patton 1993, 342), but as of 2024 there has been extensive re-development on the north-east side for Ulster University. Like York Street and York Road, it is named after Frederick, the Duke of York (1763-1827), second son of George III. See York Street / York Road for the origin of this name.