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

Kieran, 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 Kieran surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kieran in America

Kieran is the 49461st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kieran surname appeared 425 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 Kieran.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kieran 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 Kieran

The surname Kieran has its origins in Ireland, tracing back to the medieval Gaelic name Ciarán. It is derived from the old Irish word "ciar," meaning dark or black, referring to the hair or complexion of the original bearer.

The name first appeared in Irish annals and manuscripts dating back to the 6th century AD. One of the earliest recorded examples is St. Ciarán of Saigir, a renowned Irish monk and scholar born around 512 AD in County Offaly. He founded the monastic settlement of Seir-Kieran and is revered as one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland.

Another notable figure was St. Ciarán of Clonmacnoise, born in 516 AD in County Longford. He founded the iconic Clonmacnoise monastery, which became a significant center of learning and religious life in medieval Ireland. The name is also associated with the ancient territory of Ciaran in County Roscommon, suggesting its connection to a prominent Irish clan or family.

The Kieran surname gained prominence in various parts of Ireland, particularly in Counties Offaly, Longford, and Roscommon. It has been recorded in historical documents such as the Annals of Ulster and the Annals of the Four Masters, which chronicle Irish history from the 5th to the 17th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname Kieran is found in the Annals of Ulster, which mentions "Ceranus Ua Ciardhubhain" in the year 1021. This entry refers to a member of the Ua Ciardhubhain family, a prominent lineage in medieval Ireland.

Another notable figure bearing the surname Kieran was Mael Brighde Ua Ciardhubhain, an Irish cleric and scholar who lived in the 12th century. He was the abbot of the renowned monastery of Clonmacnoise and played a significant role in preserving Irish literature and scholarship during the Norman invasion of Ireland.

In more recent times, notable individuals with the surname Kieran include:

1. John Kieran (1892-1981), an American writer, journalist, and author known for his contributions to the New York Times and his appearances on the popular radio quiz show "Information Please."

2. Frances Kiernan (1890-1969), an American author and playwright best known for her novel "The Pioneers," which explored the lives of Irish immigrants in the United States.

3. Victor G. Kiernan (1913-2009), a British historian and academic who specialized in the study of imperialism and Marxist theory.

4. Patrick J. Kieran (1911-1987), a prominent American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the New York State Assembly and as the Lieutenant Governor of New York from 1959 to 1963.

5. Thomas Kieran (1897-1967), an American journalist and author who worked for various publications, including the New York World and the New York Sun.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kieran

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

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

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

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