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

Conner, 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 Conner surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Conner in America

Conner is the 518th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Conner surname appeared 64,572 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 22 people would have the surname Conner.

We can also compare 2010 data for Conner 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 Conner

The surname CONNER has its origins in Ireland and Scotland, dating back to the medieval era around the 13th century. It is derived from the Gaelic word "comharba" meaning "heir" or "successor", often referring to the heir of a religious leader or the successor of a saint. This name was commonly given to those who held hereditary roles in monasteries or ecclesiastical positions.

In Ireland, the name CONNER is believed to have originated in counties such as Antrim and Down, where it was often anglicized from the Gaelic "O'Conchobhair". This form of the name was prominent among families descended from the ancient kings of Connacht, one of the four major Irish kingdoms.

The CONNER surname can also be traced back to Scotland, where it was likely derived from the Gaelic "Conaraidh" or "Conaire", meaning "prosperous" or "high-minded". Early records show variations like "Connor" and "Connar" in areas like Argyll and the Hebrides islands.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the "Annals of Ulster", a medieval chronicle from Ireland, which mentions a "Conchobhar mac Tomaltaigh" in the year 1166. Another notable reference is the "Domesday Book" of 1086, which lists a "Conor" as a landholder in Yorkshire, England.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the CONNER surname. These include:

1. James Conner (c.1630-1718), an Irish soldier and landowner who fought in the Williamite War in Ireland.
2. Patrick Conner (1789-1842), an American frontiersman and trapper who established Fort Conner in present-day Wyoming.
3. David Conner (1792-1856), an American naval officer who served in the War of 1812 and the Mexican-American War.
4. Ralph Conner (1858-1942), a Canadian author and Presbyterian minister best known for his novels set in Western Canada, such as "The Man from Glengarry" (1901).
5. Ben Conner (1909-2003), an American football player and coach who played for the Chicago Bears and later coached at several universities.

While the CONNER surname has evolved over time, its roots can be traced back to medieval Ireland and Scotland, where it carried associations with hereditary roles, religious leadership, and even ancient kings.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Conner

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

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

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

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