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

Flaherty, 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 Flaherty surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Flaherty in America

Flaherty is the 2013th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Flaherty surname appeared 17,926 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Flaherty.

We can also compare 2010 data for Flaherty 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 Flaherty

The surname Flaherty originated from the Irish Gaelic O'Flathartaigh. The prefix "O" denotes a grandson or male descendant, while the root word "Flathartaigh" is derived from the Irish word "flaith," meaning prince or ruler. This suggests that the Flaherty surname has roots in Irish nobility or chieftains from ancient times.

The Flaherty family can trace their origins to County Galway in the West of Ireland, particularly in the region of Connemara. This area was historically dominated by the powerful O'Flaherty clan, who ruled as kings and princes in the region for centuries. The earliest recorded reference to the name appears in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, dating back to the 12th century.

One of the most notable figures in the Flaherty lineage was Murrough na dTuadh O'Flaherty, who lived in the late 16th century. He was a renowned leader of the O'Flaherty clan and played a pivotal role in the Nine Years' War against English rule in Ireland. Another prominent member of the family was Roderic O'Flaherty (1629-1718), a renowned Irish historian and author of the influential work "Ogygia," which explored the origins of Irish mythology and culture.

The Flaherty name can also be found in various historical documents and records throughout Ireland, such as the Annals of Loch Cé, which mentions the death of Morogh O'Flaherty in 1385. Additionally, the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any references to the Flaherty name, as it primarily focused on England and Wales.

Other notable individuals bearing the Flaherty surname include:

1. Thomas Flaherty (1753-1824), an Irish-American soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War.
2. Robert J. Flaherty (1884-1951), a pioneering American filmmaker known for his documentary "Nanook of the North."
3. Liam O'Flaherty (1896-1984), an Irish novelist and short story writer, best known for his works "The Informer" and "Insurrection."
4. John Flaherty (1920-2001), an American film director and screenwriter, known for his work on films like "The Flamingo Kid" and "Goodbye, Columbus."
5. Patricia Flaherty Pagan (born 1940), an American author and co-founder of the Spider Woman Theater, a Native American performance group.

The Flaherty surname has a rich history deeply rooted in Irish culture and can be traced back to the ancient clans and chieftains of County Galway. While the name has spread across the globe, its origins remain firmly grounded in the traditions and heritage of the Emerald Isle.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Flaherty

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

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

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

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