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

Ireland, 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 Ireland surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ireland in America

Ireland is the 2445th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ireland surname appeared 14,800 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Ireland.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ireland 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 Ireland

The surname Ireland originated as an English locational name derived from the Normandy placename Hirelant or Irelande. It was initially given to those who hailed from the region of Ireland in Normandy, France. The name is ultimately rooted in the Old Norse words 'ir' meaning 'Irish' and 'land' meaning 'land,' suggesting a connection to Irish settlers or immigrants in the area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled 'de Hirland.' This reference indicates that the name was already in use in England shortly after the Norman Conquest. Over time, various spellings emerged, including Irelonde, Yrlond, and Irelande, reflecting the name's evolution.

In the 13th century, the surname Ireland began to appear in English records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it is listed as 'de Irland.' This suggests that individuals bearing this name had established themselves in England by this time.

One notable figure with the surname Ireland was John Ireland, a renowned English composer and organist born in 1879. He composed various works, including the popular piano piece "The Holy Boy," and served as the organist at St. Luke's Church in Chelsea, London.

Another prominent individual was Samuel Ireland, an English writer and engraver born in 1744. He is known for his controversial forgeries of Shakespearean manuscripts, which he claimed to have discovered but were later exposed as fraudulent works.

In the 17th century, William Ireland, born in 1636, was a notable English lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench from 1689 to 1692.

Moving forward, Alexander Ireland, born in 1810, was a Scottish Presbyterian minister and author who wrote extensively on theological subjects, including his work "The Life of John Reid, late Minister of the Presbyterian Church at Colmonel."

Lastly, Robert Ireland, born in 1920, was a British actor known for his roles in various television series, including "The Saint," "The Avengers," and "Danger Man." He had a prolific career spanning several decades in the entertainment industry.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ireland

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

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

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

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