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

Looby, 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 Looby surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Looby in America

Looby is the 25503rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Looby surname appeared 969 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 Looby.

We can also compare 2010 data for Looby 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 Looby

The surname Looby has its origins in Ireland, with the earliest records dating back to the 16th century. The name is believed to derive from the Old Irish word "lúb" meaning "loop" or "bend," suggesting that the original bearers of the name may have lived near a bend in a river or road.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Looby surname can be found in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns in Ireland, which contain records of land grants and other official documents from the 16th and 17th centuries. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Loby," "Loobie," and "Lubby."

During the 17th century, the Looby name was concentrated in counties Kilkenny, Tipperary, and Waterford in southern Ireland. Some notable individuals from this period include John Looby, who was born in Waterford in 1625 and served as a soldier in the Irish Confederate Wars.

In the 18th century, the Looby name began to spread to other parts of Ireland, with records showing families in counties Dublin, Cork, and Limerick. One prominent figure was Patrick Looby, born in 1743 in Kilkenny, who was a renowned scholar and author of several works on Irish history and culture.

The 19th century saw the Looby surname become more widespread, with families settling in various parts of the United States, Canada, and Australia. One notable individual from this period was Michael Looby, born in 1822 in Tipperary, who served as a member of the Canadian Parliament for the district of Huron West from 1867 to 1872.

Another prominent figure was Thomas Looby, born in 1851 in Waterford, who was a noted journalist and editor of the San Francisco Chronicle in the late 19th century. Additionally, James Looby, born in 1867 in Kilkenny, was a successful businessman and philanthropist in New York City, known for his support of Irish cultural organizations.

While the Looby surname may not be as common as some other Irish names, it has a rich history that spans several centuries and has produced notable individuals in various fields, from politics and journalism to business and academia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Looby

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

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

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

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