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

Donnelly, 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 Donnelly surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Donnelly in America

Donnelly is the 1114th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Donnelly surname appeared 31,505 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 Donnelly.

We can also compare 2010 data for Donnelly 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 Donnelly

The surname Donnelly is of Irish origin, having its roots in the Gaelic language. It is derived from the personal name "O'Donnelly," which means "descendant of Dónaill." Dónaill, in turn, is a Gaelic form of the name Donald, which means "world mighty" or "world ruler."

The name Donnelly can be traced back to the 12th century in the region of Ulster, particularly in the counties of Tyrone and Donegal. It is believed to have originated as a sept or clan of the O'Neill dynasty, one of the most powerful and influential families in Irish history.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Donnelly can be found in the "Annals of Ulster," a historical chronicle that documents events in Ireland from the 5th to the 16th century. The Annals reference a "Donnell O'Donnelly" in the year 1211, who was described as a chieftain and leader of his clan.

In the 16th century, the Donnelly family played a significant role in the Irish Confederate Wars, where they supported the Catholic cause against English rule. One notable figure during this time was Phelim Donnelly, a military leader who fought alongside Owen Roe O'Neill in the battles of 1642-1649.

As the surname spread throughout Ireland, it also took on various spellings and variations, such as Donelly, Donnaly, and O'Donnelly. The name is also closely associated with the town of Ballybogan in County Tyrone, which was once a stronghold of the Donnelly clan.

In later centuries, several individuals with the surname Donnelly made notable contributions in various fields. Here are a few examples:

1. Ignatius Donnelly (1831-1901), an American politician, writer, and promoter of the "Atlantis theory," which suggested that the lost city of Atlantis was once located in the Atlantic Ocean.

2. Dorothy Donnelly (1880-1928), an American playwright and lyricist, best known for her work in Broadway musicals such as "Blossom Time" and "The Student Prince."

3. Eleanor Donnelly (1838-1917), an American philanthropist and educator, who founded the Donnelly College in Kansas City, Missouri, which was one of the first institutions of higher education for women in the region.

4. Thomas Donnelly (1887-1949), an Irish-American artist and illustrator, known for his works depicting scenes from Irish folklore and mythology.

5. Andrew Donnelly (1847-1935), an Irish-American labor leader and activist, who played a significant role in the establishment of the Knights of Labor, one of the earliest labor unions in the United States.

The surname Donnelly has a rich history and has been carried by notable individuals across various fields, reflecting the diverse contributions of those with this Irish name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Donnelly

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

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

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

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