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

Irland, 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 Irland surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Irland in America

Irland is the 69579th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Irland surname appeared 282 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Irland.

We can also compare 2010 data for Irland 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 Irland

The surname "IRLAND" is of English origin, with roots tracing back to the Middle Ages. It originated as a locational name, referring to individuals who hailed from the historic region of Ireland or had some form of association with the island.

In its earliest forms, the surname appeared as "de Irlaunde" or "de Yrlande" in medieval records, reflecting the Norman French influence on English surnames during that period. These early spellings indicate that the name likely referred to someone who had traveled from or resided in Ireland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire, England, dating back to 1273, where a person named William de Irlaunde is mentioned. Additionally, the Calendars of Wills and Administrations in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, from the late 13th century, contain references to individuals bearing the name "de Yrlande."

During the 14th century, the surname took on various spellings, such as "Irelond," "Irelonde," and "Irlond," as evidenced in historical documents from that era. One notable example is John Irelond, a prominent English clergyman and academic who lived from around 1300 to 1366.

As time progressed, the surname gradually evolved into its modern form, "IRLAND." In the 16th century, records show individuals like William Irland, a merchant from Bristol, England, who was active in the city's trade with Ireland during the 1540s.

Another notable figure bearing this surname was John Irland, an English clergyman and academic who lived from around 1560 to 1625. He served as the Bishop of Carlisle and was known for his religious writings and sermons.

In the 17th century, the surname "IRLAND" appeared in various parts of England, including Essex, where a family with that name owned land and property. One prominent member was Robert Irland, a wealthy landowner and magistrate who lived from 1620 to 1692.

The 18th century saw the emergence of more individuals with the "IRLAND" surname, such as Thomas Irland, an English writer and poet who was born in 1721 and published several works during his lifetime.

It is worth noting that variations of the surname, such as "Ireland" and "Irelande," were also in use throughout history, often referring to individuals with ties to the island of Ireland or those who had migrated from there.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Irland

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

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

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

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