2000
#124,109
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 128
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Donihue
An Irish surname derived from "Donnchadh" meaning brown warrior or brown battler.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 119 Americans carry the last name Donihue. That puts it at #153,590 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,880,289 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Donihue surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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
119
1 in 2,880,289
Census rank
#153,590
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
104
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 104 bearers of the surname Donihue in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 153590th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Donihue, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Donihue
The surname DONIHUE finds its origins in Ireland, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic words "O'Donnchadha" or "O'Donnchuaidh," which translate to "descendant of Donnchadh" or "descendant of the brown warrior."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. These annals mention a notable figure named Donnchadh Muirgesán Ó Donnchadha, who lived in the 12th century and served as the Chief of Duhallow, a territory located in what is now County Cork.
The DONIHUE name was initially prevalent in the southern regions of Ireland, particularly in Counties Cork, Kerry, and Limerick. Over time, the spelling evolved, leading to various variations such as Donoghue, Donohoe, and the anglicized version, DONIHUE.
In the 16th century, the name appeared in the Fiants of Elizabeth I, a collection of records documenting land grants and legal transactions during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. One notable entry mentions a John Donoghue, who received a pardon from the Crown in 1585.
Throughout history, several individuals bearing the DONIHUE surname have left their mark. One such figure was Patrick Donoghue (1809-1879), an Irish writer and political activist who campaigned for tenants' rights and advocated for land reform in Ireland.
Another notable DONIHUE was Thomas Donoghue (1834-1903), a renowned architect from County Cork who designed several prominent buildings in Cork City, including St. Patrick's Church and the Mercy University Hospital.
In the literary realm, John Donohue (1933-2008), an American poet and scholar, gained recognition for his works exploring the themes of spirituality, nature, and human relationships. His collection "Conamara Blues" was widely acclaimed and earned him numerous accolades.
The DONIHUE name has also made its mark in the field of sports. Michael Donohue (1928-2015) was an accomplished American racing driver who won the Indianapolis 500 in 1972, cementing his place in motorsport history.
While the DONIHUE surname has experienced various spelling variations over the centuries, its roots can be traced back to the ancient Gaelic traditions of Ireland, reflecting the rich cultural heritage and historical significance embedded within this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Donihue
Among Census respondents with the surname Donihue, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Donihue bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Donihue surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.1% · 101
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Donihue
Donihue appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
-13 bearers (-10.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 20,032 places
2020
#153,590
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-11 bearers (-9.6%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 9,449 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #124,109 | 128 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | -13 bearers (-10.2%) | Down 20,032 places |
| 2020 | #153,590 | 104 | 0.03 | -11 bearers (-9.6%) | Down 9,449 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Donihue surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #144,141 | #153,590 | -6.6% |
| Count | 115 | 104 | -9.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Donihue bearers went from 115 to 104 (-9.6% change). The surname moved down 9,449 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #153,590.
FAQ
Donihue surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Donihue?
Name Census estimates that about 119 living Americans carry the surname Donihue. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,880,289 residents.
How common is Donihue?
Donihue ranks #153,590 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 104 people with the surname Donihue. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (119), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Donihue.
Has Donihue become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Donihue went from 115 recorded bearers to 104. That is a decrease of 11 (-9.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #153,590.
What does the Census say about the background of Donihue?
Among Census respondents with the surname Donihue, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Donihue in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.1% (101 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Donihue appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.1%), Hispanic (2.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Donihue (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Donihue mean?
An Irish surname derived from "Donnchadh" meaning brown warrior or brown battler. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Donihue (0.03 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Donihue?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.