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

Duffy, 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 Duffy surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Duffy in America

Duffy is the 892nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Duffy surname appeared 38,835 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 13 people would have the surname Duffy.

We can also compare 2010 data for Duffy 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 Duffy

The surname Duffy originated from Ireland and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic name 'Ó Dubhthaigh', which means 'descendant of Dubhthach', a personal name meaning 'black' or 'swarthy'.

The Duffy surname was primarily found in the counties of Monaghan, Cavan, and Leitrim in the northern part of Ireland. It is believed that the name originated in the territory of Bréifne, which was ruled by the Uí Briúin dynasty.

In the Annals of Ulster, a historical record of medieval Irish events, there are several references to individuals with the name Dubhthaigh or Duffy. For example, in the year 1197, the death of Gilla Criost Ua Dubhthaigh, a notable cleric, is recorded.

One of the earliest known examples of the Duffy surname is found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which mentions Maolmordha Ua Dubhthaigh, who died in 1022.

The Duffy name is also linked to several place names in Ireland, such as Duffy's Cross in County Cavan and Duffy's Hill in County Monaghan.

Notable individuals with the Duffy surname include:

1. Sir Charles Gavan Duffy (1816-1903), an Irish politician and author who played a significant role in the Young Ireland movement.
2. William Duffy (1842-1912), an Irish-American politician and businessman who served as the 28th Mayor of Chicago from 1893 to 1895.
3. James Duffy (1888-1969), an Irish-born American prelate who served as the Bishop of Grand Island from 1948 to 1959.
4. Brian Duffy (1933-2010), an English painter and photographer known for his iconic portraits of celebrities in the 1960s and 1970s.
5. Maureen Duffy (born 1933), an English poet, novelist, and playwright, best known for her novel "The Microcosm" and her involvement in the feminist movement.

The Duffy surname has a rich history rooted in Ireland, with references dating back to the 12th century and spanning various historical records, notable individuals, and place names.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Duffy

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

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

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

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