Clooney
An anglicized version of the Irish surname Ó Clúmhán, meaning descendant of a recluse or hermit.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 308 Americans carry the last name Clooney. That puts it at #70,833 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.09 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,112,839 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Clooney surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
308
1 in 1,112,839
Census rank
#70,833
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
276
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 276 bearers of the surname Clooney in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.09 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 70833rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Clooney, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Clooney
The surname Clooney is believed to have originated in Ireland, specifically in the Gaelic regions of the country. The name is derived from the Irish Gaelic word "cluain," which means "meadow" or "pasture." It is likely that the name was initially used as a descriptive term for someone who lived near or worked in a meadow or pasture area.
The earliest recorded instances of the Clooney surname date back to the 16th century, with records indicating that the name was prevalent in counties such as Laois, Offaly, and Kilkenny. In these regions, the name was often spelled in various ways, including Cloney, Cluney, and Cloony, reflecting the linguistic variations and dialects present in different parts of Ireland at the time.
One of the earliest known references to the Clooney surname can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. The annals mention a branch of the O'Cluain family, which is believed to be an anglicized form of the Gaelic name Clooney.
Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the Clooney surname. One of the earliest was John Clooney (c. 1580-1660), an Irish Catholic priest who served as a chaplain in the Confederate War in Ireland during the 1640s. Another prominent figure was Michael Clooney (1766-1841), an Irish politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Portarlington in the early 19th century.
In more recent times, the Clooney surname has gained widespread recognition due to the fame of the American actor and filmmaker George Clooney, born in 1961. George Clooney's ancestors can be traced back to County Kilkenny, Ireland, where the Clooney surname has deep roots.
Other notable individuals with the Clooney surname include Nick Clooney (born 1934), an American television journalist and brother of George Clooney, and Rosemary Clooney (1928-2002), an American singer and actress who was a successful recording artist in the 1950s and 1960s.
While the Clooney surname may have evolved from a humble descriptive term for someone living in a meadow, it has since become associated with individuals who have made significant contributions to various fields, including religion, politics, entertainment, and journalism.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Clooney
Among Census respondents with the surname Clooney, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Clooney bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Clooney surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.1%
- Hispanic or Latino4.0%
- Unknown or suppressed2.9%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Clooney surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #62,775 | #70,833 | -12.8% |
| Count | 298 | 276 | -7.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.11 | 0.09 | -18.2% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Clooney bearers went from 298 to 276 (-7.4% change). The surname moved down 8,058 positions in the national ranking, going from #62,775 to #70,833.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Clooney
FAQ
Clooney surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Clooney?
The surname Clooney holds position #70,833 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 308 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.09 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Clooney surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Clooney, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.0%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.