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

Daly, 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 Daly surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Daly in America

Daly is the 1118th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Daly surname appeared 31,330 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 11 people would have the surname Daly.

We can also compare 2010 data for Daly 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 Daly

The surname Daly is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic word "O'Dalaigh," which means "descendant of the daly," with "daly" meaning "assembler" or "poet." The name can be traced back to the 10th century in Ireland, where it was associated with the O'Daly clan, a prominent family of poets and scholars based in Westmeath and Meath.

Records show that the Dalys were highly regarded for their literary contributions and were often employed as chief poets and chroniclers by Irish chieftains and kings. The name appears in several ancient Irish manuscripts, including the Annals of the Four Masters, which mentions notable Daly poets and scholars from the 12th to the 17th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name is Cuan O'Daly, a renowned poet who lived in the 11th century and was renowned for his mastery of the Irish language and poetic traditions. Another notable figure was Muireadach O'Daly, a renowned scholar and poet who lived in the 12th century and served as the chief poet to several Irish kings.

In the 16th century, the Daly name gained prominence through figures like Donough Mor O'Daly, a renowned poet and historian who served as the chief chronicler to the O'Kelly clan of Hy-Many. His works, including the "Book of O'Daly," provide invaluable insights into Irish history and culture during that period.

The name also had connections to place names in Ireland, such as Daly's Cross in County Westmeath, which was named after the Daly family who held lands in the area. The variant spelling "Daley" was also common, particularly among those who emigrated from Ireland to other parts of the world.

Other notable figures throughout history with the surname Daly include:

1. Dermot Daly (1638-1662), an Irish Jesuit and philosopher known for his works on logic and metaphysics.
2. Maurice Daly (1787-1857), an Irish politician and lawyer who served as Solicitor-General for Ireland.
3. Augustin Daly (1838-1899), an American playwright, theater manager, and critic who was influential in the development of American theater.
4. Marcus Daly (1841-1900), an Irish-American businessman and entrepreneur who played a significant role in the development of the copper mining industry in Montana.
5. John Daly (1914-1991), an American actor best known for his roles in films such as "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" and "Paths of Glory."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Daly

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

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

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

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