2000
#66,274
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 279
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.10
Very Rare Last name
Clennon
A surname of Irish origin referring to the son of a descendant.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 444 Americans carry the last name Clennon. That puts it at #56,914 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.13 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 771,969 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Clennon surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
444
1 in 771,969
Census rank
#56,914
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
387
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 387 bearers of the surname Clennon in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.13 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 56914th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Clennon, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.4%. The next largest groups are Black (28.4%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Clennon
The surname CLENNON has its origins in Ireland, emerging during the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic word "cluain," meaning a fertile meadow or pasture land, combined with the diminutive suffix "-an," suggesting a smaller or lesser meadow.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Irish Annals, which document a Gillachrist O'Clennon in the year 1264. This individual was likely from the northern regions of Ireland, where the name was more prevalent.
In the 16th century, the CLENNON surname appeared in various legal documents and land records, particularly in County Monaghan and surrounding areas. During this time, the name sometimes appeared as "Clennane" or "Clennan," reflecting regional variations in spelling and pronunciation.
The name CLENNON has strong ties to several historical figures throughout the centuries. One notable individual was John Clennon, a prominent merchant and landowner who lived in County Donegal in the late 17th century (born around 1650, died circa 1720). He was known for his business dealings and involvement in local affairs.
Another notable figure was Patrick Clennon, a Catholic priest and activist who lived in the late 18th century (born in 1745, died in 1819). He played a role in advocating for Catholic rights during a period of religious tensions in Ireland.
In the 19th century, the CLENNON surname gained further recognition with the birth of James Clennon (1826-1901), a successful businessman and philanthropist from County Fermanagh. He made significant contributions to various charitable causes and is remembered for his generosity.
Moving into the early 20th century, Mary Clennon (1892-1976) was a renowned Irish poet and author. Her works explored themes of nature, spirituality, and the experiences of rural life in Ireland.
Lastly, one cannot overlook the influence of Michael Clennon (1918-2003), a prominent Irish politician who served as a member of the Dáil Éireann (Irish Parliament) for several decades, representing County Sligo.
While the CLENNON surname has spread across various parts of the world due to migration and diaspora, its roots can be traced back to the fertile meadows of Ireland, where it originated and flourished throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Clennon
Among Census respondents with the surname Clennon, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.4%. The next largest groups are Black (28.4%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Clennon bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Clennon surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White65.4% · 253
- Black or African American28.4% · 110
- Two or more races3.9% · 15
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 7
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Clennon
Clennon appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#61,899
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 324
+45 bearers (+16.1%)
Per 100,000 0.11
Rank movement Up 4,375 places
2020
#56,914
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 387
+63 bearers (+19.4%)
Per 100,000 0.13
Rank movement Up 4,985 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #66,274 | 279 | 0.10 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #61,899 | 324 | 0.11 | +45 bearers (+16.1%) | Up 4,375 places |
| 2020 | #56,914 | 387 | 0.13 | +63 bearers (+19.4%) | Up 4,985 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Clennon surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #61,899 | #56,914 | 8.1% |
| Count | 324 | 387 | 19.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.11 | 0.13 | 17.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Clennon bearers went from 324 to 387 (+19.4% change). The surname moved up 4,985 positions in the national ranking, going from #61,899 to #56,914.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Clennon
FAQ
Clennon surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Clennon?
Name Census estimates that about 444 living Americans carry the surname Clennon. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 771,969 residents.
How common is Clennon?
Clennon ranks #56,914 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.13 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 387 people with the surname Clennon. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (444), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.13 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.13 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Clennon.
Has Clennon become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Clennon went from 324 recorded bearers to 387. That is an increase of 63 (+19.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #61,899 to #56,914.
What does the Census say about the background of Clennon?
Among Census respondents with the surname Clennon, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.4%. The next largest groups are Black (28.4%) and Two or More Races (3.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Clennon in the 2020 Census, accounting for 65.4% (253 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Clennon appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (65.4%), Black (28.4%), Two or More Races (3.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Clennon (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Clennon mean?
A surname of Irish origin referring to the son of a descendant. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Clennon (0.13 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Clennon?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the surname Clennon at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.