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

Caoile, 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 Caoile surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Caoile in America

Caoile is the 59017th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Caoile surname appeared 343 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 Caoile.

We can also compare 2010 data for Caoile 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 Caoile

The surname Caoile has its origins in Ireland, where it first appeared in the early medieval period. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic word "caol," which means "slender" or "narrow." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname for someone with a slim or lean physique.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Caoile can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a medieval chronicle that covers events in Ireland from the 5th to the 16th century. The name is mentioned in an entry from the year 1094, referring to a man named Aodh Caoile, who was a member of the O'Neill clan and played a role in a battle against the Ulaidh (Ulster) forces.

In the 12th century, the name appears in the Book of Leinster, an important medieval Irish manuscript. Here, it is spelled as "Caíle" and is associated with individuals from the northern regions of Ireland, particularly the counties of Tyrone and Derry.

During the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the surname Caoile was Ruaidhrí Caoile, a poet and historian from County Tyrone. He is best known for his work "The Flight of the Earls," which chronicles the departure of Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, and Rory O'Donnell, Earl of Tyrconnell, from Ireland in 1607 during the Flight of the Earls, a pivotal event in Irish history.

In the 17th century, the name Caoile can be found in the records of the Plantation of Ulster, a planned process of colonization in which Protestant settlers from England and Scotland were granted land in the northern counties of Ireland. During this period, the spelling of the name often varied, appearing as "Caoile," "Caole," or "Cayle."

Another notable individual with the surname Caoile was Séamus Caoile, a prominent figure in the Irish Rebellion of 1798. Born in County Derry in 1770, he played a leading role in organizing the United Irishmen, a revolutionary republican movement, in his local area. He was eventually captured and executed by the British authorities in 1799.

It is worth noting that while the surname Caoile has deep historical roots in Ireland, it is relatively uncommon today. However, its connection to the Irish language and culture, as well as its appearance in important historical records and events, make it a significant part of Ireland's rich onomastic heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Caoile

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

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

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

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