WordPress creating URLs which are not found

Question

For each post or page I create, WordPress creates URLLs like this:

about-us/timcoetzee
about-us/thesportingfreak@gmail.com
contact-us/@sportingfreak
sa-might-never-host-major-sports-tournament/thesportingfreak@gmail.com
Europe/@sportingfreak

These are just a few examples, I have 140 more of these URLs for each post or page.

Does anyone know why these URLs are created? I am using Yoast SEO plugin, can that perhaps play a role? Is it perhaps the theme I am using?

Anyway, I would just like to know if anyone has encountered the same problem and how to fix/disable it?

It is leading to many 404 errors in my search console, something which I would like to avoid.

Answer 1

Given the default behavior of WordPress, what you describe almost has to be a misbehaving plugin or custom function in your functions.php file.

What I would do is the following:

1. Disable all plugins
2. Switch to a basic theme, such as TwentyFifteen or TwentySixteen

These two steps will give you the basic WordPress experience. Create a post/page and see if the bad behavior persists. If it does not, do the following:

1. Leaving all plugins disabled, switch back to your main theme.
2. Create a new post/page at this time.

If the behavior comes back, it is something in the theme files that is screwed up and you now know where to begin looking for a resolution. I would start with functions.php. If the bad behavior doesn't come back, then do the following:

1. Re-enable plugins one at a time, publishing a test post/page in between each plugin re-enable.
2. Save Yoast SEO for last.

Assuming you've reached this point, the problem should be a plugin or combination of plugins are messing up the taxonomy. By enabling one at a time and testing at each step, you should discover the point where it breaks pretty easily.