2000
#2,568
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,955
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.80
Uncommon Last name
Looney
Derived from the Irish surname Ó Luanaigh, meaning "descendant of Luanach," a personal name meaning "warrior" or "champion."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 13,956 Americans carry the last name Looney. That puts it at #2,882 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.07 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 24,560 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Looney surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Looney with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
14K
1 in 24,560
Census rank
#2,882
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
12K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 12,170 bearers of the surname Looney in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.07 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2882nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Looney, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.4%. The next largest groups are Black (9.2%) and Two or More Races (4.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Looney
The surname Looney is of Irish origin, with its roots tracing back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic word "luan," which means "warrior" or "strong person." The name was initially associated with the northern regions of Ireland, particularly in counties such as Donegal and Tyrone.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Looney name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a historical chronicle compiled in the 17th century. This document mentions a prominent figure named Uaithne O'Looney, who was a chieftain in the region of Tyrone during the 13th century.
During the Middle Ages, the Looney family held significant influence and landholdings in various parts of Ulster, Ireland's northern province. They were known for their involvement in local politics and their military prowess, which earned them a reputation as formidable warriors.
In the 16th century, a noteworthy individual named Feardorcha Looney gained recognition for his role in the Nine Years' War, a conflict between the Irish chieftains and the English forces. He was a skilled military leader and played a crucial part in defending his clan's territories against the invading English armies.
Over the centuries, the Looney surname has undergone various spellings, including Lunny, Loony, and Lunney. These variations emerged due to regional dialects, scribal errors, and anglicization of the original Gaelic form.
One of the most well-known bearers of the Looney surname was Patrick Looney (1693-1768), a renowned Irish poet and writer. His works, written in both Irish and English, are considered valuable contributions to the literary heritage of Ireland.
Another prominent figure was James Looney (1812-1885), an Irish-American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing the state of New York. He was actively involved in the Irish independence movement and advocated for the rights of Irish immigrants in America.
In the 20th century, the Looney surname gained further recognition with the accomplishments of Rose Looney (1900-1985), an American actress and vaudeville performer. She appeared in numerous films and stage productions, contributing to the entertainment industry during the golden age of Hollywood.
The history of the Looney surname is deeply rooted in the rich cultural heritage of Ireland, spanning several centuries and encompassing individuals who left their mark in various fields, from warfare and politics to literature and the arts.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Looney
Among Census respondents with the surname Looney, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.4%. The next largest groups are Black (9.2%) and Two or More Races (4.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Looney bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Looney surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.4% · 9,908
- Black or African American9.2% · 1,122
- Two or more races4.2% · 516
- Hispanic or Latino3.1% · 382
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.5% · 178
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 64
Timeline
Historical Census data for Looney
Looney appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#2,795
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,910
-45 bearers (-0.3%)
Per 100,000 4.38
Rank movement Down 227 places
2020
#2,882
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,170
-740 bearers (-5.7%)
Per 100,000 4.07
Rank movement Down 87 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,568 | 12,955 | 4.80 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,795 | 12,910 | 4.38 | -45 bearers (-0.3%) | Down 227 places |
| 2020 | #2,882 | 12,170 | 4.07 | -740 bearers (-5.7%) | Down 87 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Looney surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,795 | #2,882 | -3.1% |
| Count | 12,910 | 12,170 | -5.7% |
| Per 100K | 4.38 | 4.07 | -7.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Looney bearers went from 12,910 to 12,170 (-5.7% change). The surname moved down 87 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,795 to #2,882.
FAQ
Looney surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Looney?
Name Census estimates that about 13,956 living Americans carry the surname Looney. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 24,560 residents.
How common is Looney?
Looney ranks #2,882 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.07 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 12,170 people with the surname Looney. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (13,956), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.07 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.07 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Looney.
Has Looney become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Looney went from 12,910 recorded bearers to 12,170. That is a decrease of 740 (-5.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,795 to #2,882.
What does the Census say about the background of Looney?
Among Census respondents with the surname Looney, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.4%. The next largest groups are Black (9.2%) and Two or More Races (4.2%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Looney in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.4% (9,908 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Looney appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (81.4%), Black (9.2%), Two or More Races (4.2%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Looney (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Looney mean?
Derived from the Irish surname Ó Luanaigh, meaning "descendant of Luanach," a personal name meaning "warrior" or "champion." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Looney (4.07 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Looney?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.