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

Malarney, 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 Malarney surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Malarney in America

Malarney is the 135593rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Malarney surname appeared 124 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 Malarney.

We can also compare 2010 data for Malarney 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 Malarney

The surname Malarney is believed to have originated in Ireland, with its roots tracing back to the 16th or 17th century. It is derived from the Gaelic phrase "milleadh áirne," which translates to "the destroyer of the sloe bush." This phrase likely referred to a person who cleared land or made their living from the cultivation of sloe bushes.

The earliest recorded instances of the Malarney surname can be found in various Irish records from the 17th and 18th centuries. One notable example is Patrick Malarney, who was born in County Cork in 1675 and later served as a soldier in the Irish Brigade of the French Army during the War of the Spanish Succession.

Another early bearer of the Malarney name was Bridget Malarney, born in 1701 in County Mayo. She is mentioned in the Parish Records of Ballina, where she was recorded as having married John O'Malley in 1725.

In the 19th century, the Malarney surname gained prominence with the birth of Michael Malarney (1810-1892) in County Tipperary. He was a prominent landowner and politician, serving as a Member of Parliament for the constituency of Tipperary from 1857 to 1865.

One of the most notable figures with the Malarney surname was John Malarney (1842-1917), born in County Cork. He was a successful businessman and philanthropist, founding the Malarney Trust in 1908, which provided educational opportunities and financial assistance to underprivileged children in Ireland.

Another individual of note was Mary Malarney (1875-1941), born in County Mayo. She was a renowned educator and advocate for women's rights, establishing several schools for girls in Ireland and campaigning tirelessly for equal opportunities in education.

While the Malarney surname may have its origins in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, with bearers of the name found in countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia. However, the name remains most prevalent in Ireland, where it continues to hold a rich history and cultural significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Malarney

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

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

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

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