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

Doherty, 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 Doherty surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Doherty in America

Doherty is the 1264th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Doherty surname appeared 27,787 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 9 people would have the surname Doherty.

We can also compare 2010 data for Doherty 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 Doherty

The surname Doherty originated in Ireland and is an anglicized form of the Gaelic name Ó Dochartaigh, meaning "descendant of Dochartach." Dochartach was a personal name derived from the Gaelic word "dochartach," meaning "hurtful" or "obstructive." The name is believed to have originated in the northern part of Ireland, particularly in County Donegal.

The Dohertys were a prominent Irish clan with a long history dating back to the 12th century. They were one of the most powerful families in the region and held a significant amount of land and influence. The name can be traced back to ancient Irish manuscripts and records, such as the Annals of the Four Masters, which document the clan's activities and history.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name is Fergal Ó Dochartaigh, who lived in the 13th century and was the chief of the clan. The name also appears in the Annals of Ulster, which mention several notable Dohertys, including Aodh Ó Dochartaigh, who was described as a "wealthy and affluent man" in the 14th century.

Over time, the name has been anglicized in various ways, including Doherty, Daugherty, and Dougherty. The name is also associated with several place names in Ireland, such as Ballyougherty and Ardougherty, which are believed to have derived from the Doherty clan's presence in those areas.

Notable individuals with the surname Doherty throughout history include:

1. John Doherty (1785-1854), an Irish politician and member of the United Kingdom Parliament.
2. Edward Doherty (1823-1908), an Irish-American Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of Wheeling, West Virginia.
3. Pat Doherty (1913-2003), an Irish hurler who played for the Kilkenny senior hurling team and won six All-Ireland medals.
4. Móna Doherty (1904-1994), an Irish politician and member of the Irish Free State Seanad Éireann.
5. Shannen Doherty (born 1971), an American actress known for her roles in popular television shows like "Beverly Hills, 90210" and "Charmed."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Doherty

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

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

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

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