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

Gibney, 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 Gibney surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gibney in America

Gibney is the 13855th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gibney surname appeared 2,181 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Gibney.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gibney 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 Gibney

The surname Gibney is of Irish origin and can be traced back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Gibbon," which means "little hawk" or "falcon." The name was initially found in County Monaghan, Ireland, where it was prominent among families living in the baronies of Farney and Cremorne.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Gibney name appears in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In 1134, a chieftain named Gilla-na-noev O'Gibney is mentioned as a leader of the Ui Meith, a powerful dynasty in County Monaghan.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Gibney family played a significant role in the Irish Confederate Wars, supporting the Catholic cause against English forces. In 1641, Edmond Gibney, a landowner from County Monaghan, joined the Irish Rebellion and fought alongside Owen Roe O'Neill's troops.

The Gibneys were also known for their involvement in the literary and ecclesiastical spheres. In the 18th century, Father Patrick Gibney (1720-1789) was a renowned Irish scholar and author who wrote extensively on Irish history and culture.

Another notable figure was John Gibney (1825-1903), a prominent Irish lawyer and politician. He served as a Member of Parliament for the constituency of Meath from 1880 to 1885 and played a crucial role in the Irish Home Rule movement.

In the 20th century, James Gibney (1915-1997) gained recognition as a respected American novelist and short story writer. His works often explored themes of Irish-American identity and the immigrant experience.

Other individuals with the Gibney surname who have made significant contributions include:

1. Norah Gibney (1892-1956), an Irish poet and playwright known for her works on Irish mythology and folklore.
2. Frank Gibney (1924-2006), an American journalist and author who covered Asia and wrote extensively about Japan and China.
3. Erin Gibney (born 1975), an American artist and sculptor whose works have been exhibited in various galleries and museums across the United States.
4. John Gibney (born 1949), an Irish politician and former member of the European Parliament, representing the Dublin constituency.
5. Michael Gibney (born 1967), an Irish chef and food writer who has authored several cookbooks and served as a judge on the television show "MasterChef Ireland."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gibney

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

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

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

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