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

Kathleen, 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 Kathleen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kathleen in America

Kathleen is the 153769th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kathleen surname appeared 106 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 Kathleen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kathleen 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 Kathleen

Kathleen is an anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic name Caitlín, which is a diminutive form of the Old Irish name Cait. The name Cait is derived from the Old Celtic word "catu," meaning "battle." The surname Kathleen has its roots in Ireland, where it originated as a given name before becoming a surname.

The earliest recorded use of the name Kathleen can be traced back to the 16th century. One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Kathleen was Kathleen O'Donnell, born in County Donegal, Ireland, in the late 1500s. She was a member of the influential O'Donnell clan, which ruled over parts of Ulster.

Another notable figure with the surname Kathleen was Kathleen O'Neill, born in County Tyrone, Ireland, in the early 1600s. She was a member of the powerful O'Neill dynasty, which played a significant role in Irish history during the 16th and 17th centuries.

In the late 17th century, the name Kathleen appeared in the Petty's Census of Ireland, a survey conducted by Sir William Petty in 1659. This census provides valuable insights into the distribution of surnames across Ireland during that time period.

In the 18th century, Kathleen Meredith was a prominent figure in Irish literature. She was born in County Leitrim in 1728 and is known for her poetry and her advocacy for Irish language and culture.

Moving into the 19th century, Kathleen O'Meara, born in Dublin in 1839, was a renowned author and activist. She wrote extensively on Irish nationalism and was a prominent figure in the Irish literary revival.

Throughout its history, the surname Kathleen has been associated with various place names and older spellings. For example, the townland of Kathleen in County Mayo was once known as Cathleen, reflecting the original Irish spelling of the name.

While the surname Kathleen has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. However, its origins can be traced back to the ancient Celtic languages and the rich history of Ireland.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kathleen

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

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

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

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