2000
#11,645
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,470
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.92
Rare Last name
Herlihy
Derived from the Irish surname Ó hIarfhlatha, meaning "descendant of Iarfhlaith," a personal name meaning "lord of the west."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,914 Americans carry the last name Herlihy. That puts it at #11,789 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.85 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 117,623 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Herlihy 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 Herlihy with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.9K
1 in 117,623
Census rank
#11,789
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,541 bearers of the surname Herlihy in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.85 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11789th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Herlihy, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Herlihy
The surname Herlihy is of Irish origin, with its roots dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the old Gaelic words "O'hIrluachra," which translates to "descendant of the man from the rushy land." This name references the ancestral homeland of the Herlihy clan, which was situated in the marshy regions of County Cork, Ireland.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Herlihy can be found in the Annals of Inisfallen, a chronicle of Irish history from the 5th to the 13th centuries. This ancient manuscript mentions a notable figure named Diarmaid O'hIrluachra, who lived in the late 12th century and was a prominent leader in the region.
The Herlihy name also appears in various land records and rent rolls from the 16th and 17th centuries, indicating their presence in counties like Cork, Kerry, and Limerick. During this period, the name was often spelled differently, such as O'Hirluachra, O'Hirlihy, and O'Herlihy, reflecting the fluid nature of surnames in those times.
Notable individuals bearing the Herlihy surname throughout history include John Herlihy (1760-1828), an Irish poet and schoolteacher from County Cork, known for his works in the Irish language. Another prominent figure was Michael Herlihy (1785-1862), a Catholic priest and educator who founded several schools in County Cork.
In the 19th century, Jeremiah Herlihy (1832-1905) gained recognition as a successful businessman and landowner in Cork. He played a significant role in the development of the city's infrastructure and was involved in various civic projects.
Moving into the 20th century, Patrick Herlihy (1920-1997) was a renowned Irish historian and author, best known for his publications on the history of Cork and its surrounding regions. His works provided valuable insights into the cultural and social fabric of the area.
Lastly, Maureen Herlihy (1938-2018) was a celebrated artist and sculptor from County Kerry. Her works, often inspired by Irish mythology and folklore, were exhibited in various galleries and museums across Ireland and internationally.
While the Herlihy name may have evolved in spelling over the centuries, its roots can be traced back to the ancient Gaelic clans of Ireland, reflecting a rich heritage and a strong connection to the land.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Herlihy
Among Census respondents with the surname Herlihy, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Herlihy 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 Herlihy surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.8% · 2,358
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 73
- Two or more races2.8% · 70
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.2% · 31
- Black or African American0.2% · 6
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Herlihy
Herlihy 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
#12,188
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,556
+86 bearers (+3.5%)
Per 100,000 0.87
Rank movement Down 543 places
2020
#11,789
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,541
-15 bearers (-0.6%)
Per 100,000 0.85
Rank movement Up 399 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,645 | 2,470 | 0.92 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,188 | 2,556 | 0.87 | +86 bearers (+3.5%) | Down 543 places |
| 2020 | #11,789 | 2,541 | 0.85 | -15 bearers (-0.6%) | Up 399 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 Herlihy 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 | #12,188 | #11,789 | 3.3% |
| Count | 2,556 | 2,541 | -0.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.87 | 0.85 | -2.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Herlihy bearers went from 2,556 to 2,541 (-0.6% change). The surname moved up 399 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,188 to #11,789.
FAQ
Herlihy surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Herlihy?
Name Census estimates that about 2,914 living Americans carry the surname Herlihy. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 117,623 residents.
How common is Herlihy?
Herlihy ranks #11,789 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.85 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 2,541 people with the surname Herlihy. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,914), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.85 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.85 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 Herlihy.
Has Herlihy become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Herlihy went from 2,556 recorded bearers to 2,541. That is a decrease of 15 (-0.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #12,188 to #11,789.
What does the Census say about the background of Herlihy?
Among Census respondents with the surname Herlihy, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Herlihy in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.8% (2,358 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Herlihy appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.8%), Hispanic (2.9%), Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Herlihy (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 Herlihy mean?
Derived from the Irish surname Ó hIarfhlatha, meaning "descendant of Iarfhlaith," a personal name meaning "lord of the west." 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 Herlihy (0.85 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 common is the surname Herlihy?
Want to know how common the surname Herlihy is? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.