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

Byrne, 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 Byrne surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Byrne in America

Byrne is the 1198th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Byrne surname appeared 29,503 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 10 people would have the surname Byrne.

We can also compare 2010 data for Byrne 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 Byrne

The surname Byrne has its origins in Ireland, dating back to ancient Gaelic times. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic word "Ó Broin," which means "descendant of Bron." Bron was a personal name that likely had roots in the old Celtic word "bron," meaning "a sadness" or "a sorrow."

The earliest recorded instances of the name Byrne can be found in Irish annals from the 11th century. The annals mention several notable individuals bearing the name, including Gilla Pátraic Ó Broin, a cleric and scribe who lived in the late 11th century.

In the 12th century, the Byrnes were a prominent family in County Wicklow, Ireland. They were among the leading septs (clans) of the Uí Fhearghail, a branch of the Uí Dúnchada dynasty that ruled the region of Uí Fhearghail (modern-day County Wicklow).

One of the earliest known references to the name Byrne can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle compiled in the 17th century by Franciscan monks. The annals mention a Muircheartach Ó Broin, who was the Lord of Uí Fhearghail in the 13th century.

The Byrnes played a significant role in Irish history, particularly during the 16th and 17th centuries. During this period, several prominent members of the family are recorded, including Feagh Mac Hugh O'Byrne (c. 1530-1597), a famous Irish chieftain known for his resistance against English rule in Ireland.

Another notable figure was Phelim O'Byrne (fl. 1640s), a Confederate Catholic officer who fought for Irish Catholic interests during the Irish Confederate Wars (1641-1653). Phelim O'Byrne was instrumental in the successful defense of the town of Ross during the Siege of Ross in 1643.

In the literary world, the name Byrne is associated with William Pitt Byrne (1806-1861), an Irish writer and journalist who was a co-founder of the influential Dublin University Magazine.

Other notable individuals with the surname Byrne include Robert Byrne (1928-2013), an American chess player and author, and Gabriel Byrne (born 1950), an acclaimed Irish actor known for his roles in films such as "The Usual Suspects" and "Miller's Crossing."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Byrne

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

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 Byrne 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 Byrne 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 Byrne was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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