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

Connelly, 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 Connelly surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Connelly in America

Connelly is the 1537th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Connelly surname appeared 23,398 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 8 people would have the surname Connelly.

We can also compare 2010 data for Connelly 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 Connelly

The surname Connelly originates from Ireland, deriving from the Gaelic O'Conghalaigh sept, which translates to "descendant of Conghalach." The name Conghalach itself means "valorous" or "brave" in Irish. The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 11th century in County Leinster, though it is believed to have roots stretching further back into ancient Irish history.

The Connelly surname is an anglicized version of the original Gaelic form, with various spelling variations appearing throughout history, such as O'Connelly, O'Connolly, and Connolly. These variations were often influenced by regional accents and dialects within Ireland. In the 16th and 17th centuries, during the Tudor conquest of Ireland, many Irish families adopted anglicized versions of their surnames for political and social reasons.

One of the earliest known references to the Connelly name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. Here, the name Conghalach is mentioned in connection with events dating back to the 11th century. Additionally, the name appears in various Irish manuscripts and records from the 12th to 16th centuries, further solidifying its historical presence.

Among the notable individuals bearing the Connelly surname throughout history are:

1. John Connelly (c. 1610-1660), an Irish soldier and landowner who fought for the Royalist cause during the English Civil War.
2. William Connelly (1786-1869), an Irish-American politician and industrialist who served as the fourth Governor of New Mexico Territory.
3. Marc Connelly (1890-1980), an American playwright and director, best known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning play "The Green Pastures."
4. Jennifer Connelly (born 1970), an American actress who won an Academy Award for her role in the film "A Beautiful Mind."
5. Billy Connelly (born 1942), a Scottish comedian, musician, and actor, widely regarded as one of the most influential stand-up comedians of his generation.

The Connelly surname has maintained a strong presence throughout Ireland and has also spread to various parts of the world due to Irish emigration. Its origins can be traced back to the ancient Gaelic tradition, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of Ireland.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Connelly

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

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

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

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