Find out how popular the last name Blayney is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Blayney.

Blayney, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Blayney surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Blayney in America

Blayney is the 48901st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Blayney surname appeared 431 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Blayney.

We can also compare 2010 data for Blayney to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Blayney

The surname Blayney originates from Ireland and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the old Gaelic word "bláthach," meaning "buttermilk" or "flourishing." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a dairy farm or a fertile region.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Blayney can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In 1170, it mentions a nobleman named Tadhg Ua Bláthnaidh, who was a member of the Uí Blathnaidh clan from County Monaghan.

During the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Blatheney," "Blathney," and "Blauney," in various land records and legal documents. One notable individual from this period was John Blayney, who held lands in County Monaghan in the late 1200s.

In the 16th century, the Blayney family gained prominence in County Monaghan. Sir Edward Blayney, born in 1535, was appointed as the Lord Marshal of Ireland and served as a member of the Privy Council of Ireland under Queen Elizabeth I.

Another notable figure was Sir Henry Blayney, who lived from 1604 to 1672. He was a prominent military commander during the Irish Confederate Wars and later served as the Governor of Carrickfergus Castle.

In the 18th century, the Blayney family continued to play a significant role in Irish history. Lord William Blayney, born in 1712, was a member of the Irish House of Lords and served as the Governor of County Monaghan.

Other notable individuals with the surname Blayney include Andrew Blayney, a 19th-century Irish politician and landowner, and Reginald Blayney, a British Army officer who served in the Crimean War and the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

While the name Blayney has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through emigration to countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Blayney

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Blayney.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Blayney was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Blayney has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Blayney was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Blayney, please contact us.

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