2000
#15,861
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,684
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.62
Rare Last name
Feehan
An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Fiahán meaning "descendant of Fíachan".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,117 Americans carry the last name Feehan. That puts it at #15,307 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.62 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 161,906 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Feehan 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Feehan with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.1K
1 in 161,906
Census rank
#15,307
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,846 bearers of the surname Feehan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.62 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15307th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Feehan, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.3%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Feehan
The surname Feehan is of Irish origin and is believed to have emerged in the 16th century. It is a variant spelling of the Gaelic name "O'Fiachain," which means "descendant of Fiachan." Fiachan was a personal name derived from the Irish word "fiach," meaning "raven" or "hunter."
The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to County Mayo in the west of Ireland. It is thought to have been concentrated in the baronies of Carra and Erris, where the family held lands and played a significant role in the local community.
In medieval Irish records, the name appears with various spellings, such as "O'Feehyly," "O'Feehilly," and "O'Feehily." These variants reflect the fluid nature of spelling conventions during that period.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Donnchadh Ó Fiachna, a prominent Irish poet who lived in the late 16th century. His poetry, which celebrated the exploits of local chieftains, provides valuable insights into the cultural and political landscape of the time.
Another notable figure was Fearghal Ó Fiachna, a renowned scholar and scribe who lived in the 17th century. He was responsible for transcribing and preserving several important Irish manuscripts, ensuring the survival of invaluable historical and literary works.
During the 18th century, the name Feehan gained prominence in County Mayo. Patrick Feehan, born in 1752, was a successful merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the local community.
In the 19th century, John Feehan (1813-1887) was a respected Catholic priest who served in the Diocese of Tuam. He was known for his dedication to education and his efforts to improve the lives of the local population.
Another notable figure was Michael Feehan (1857-1923), a successful businessman and philanthropist. He made significant contributions to the development of his hometown, Westport, in County Mayo, and was widely respected for his generosity and civic engagement.
Over time, the name Feehan has spread beyond Ireland, with members of the family settling in various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Feehan
Among Census respondents with the surname Feehan, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.3%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Feehan 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 Feehan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.7% · 1,749
- Hispanic or Latino2.3% · 42
- Two or more races1.9% · 35
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 15
- Black or African American0.2% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Feehan
Feehan 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
#16,273
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,772
+88 bearers (+5.2%)
Per 100,000 0.60
Rank movement Down 412 places
2020
#15,307
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,846
+74 bearers (+4.2%)
Per 100,000 0.62
Rank movement Up 966 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #15,861 | 1,684 | 0.62 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #16,273 | 1,772 | 0.60 | +88 bearers (+5.2%) | Down 412 places |
| 2020 | #15,307 | 1,846 | 0.62 | +74 bearers (+4.2%) | Up 966 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 Feehan 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 | #16,273 | #15,307 | 5.9% |
| Count | 1,772 | 1,846 | 4.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.60 | 0.62 | 2.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Feehan bearers went from 1,772 to 1,846 (+4.2% change). The surname moved up 966 positions in the national ranking, going from #16,273 to #15,307.
FAQ
Feehan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Feehan?
Name Census estimates that about 2,117 living Americans carry the surname Feehan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 161,906 residents.
How common is Feehan?
Feehan ranks #15,307 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.62 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,846 people with the surname Feehan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,117), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.62 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.62 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Feehan.
Has Feehan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Feehan went from 1,772 recorded bearers to 1,846. That is an increase of 74 (+4.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #16,273 to #15,307.
What does the Census say about the background of Feehan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Feehan, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.3%) and Two or More Races (1.9%). 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 Feehan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.7% (1,749 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Feehan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.7%), Hispanic (2.3%), Two or More Races (1.9%). 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 Feehan (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 Feehan mean?
An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Fiahán meaning "descendant of Fíachan". 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 Feehan (0.62 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 people are called Feehan?
Want to know how common the surname Feehan is? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.