2000
#138,741
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Malarney
An antiquated derivative of the French surname "Malherbe", meaning ill-fated or unfortunate person.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Malarney. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Malarney 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.
Bearers in the US
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Malarney in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Malarney, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.2%. The next largest groups are Black (5.0%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Malarney
Among Census respondents with the surname Malarney, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.2%. The next largest groups are Black (5.0%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Malarney 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 Malarney surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.2% · 107
- Black or African American5.0% · 6
- Two or more races5.0% · 6
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Malarney
Malarney 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
#135,593
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 124
+13 bearers (+11.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,148 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
-4 bearers (-3.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,456 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #138,741 | 111 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #135,593 | 124 | 0.04 | +13 bearers (+11.7%) | Up 3,148 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | -4 bearers (-3.2%) | Down 6,456 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 Malarney 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 | #135,593 | #142,049 | -4.8% |
| Count | 124 | 120 | -3.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Malarney bearers went from 124 to 120 (-3.2% change). The surname moved down 6,456 positions in the national ranking, going from #135,593 to #142,049.
FAQ
Malarney surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Malarney?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Malarney. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Malarney?
Malarney ranks #142,049 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 120 people with the surname Malarney. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Malarney.
Has Malarney become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Malarney went from 124 recorded bearers to 120. That is a decrease of 4 (-3.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #135,593 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Malarney?
Among Census respondents with the surname Malarney, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.2%. The next largest groups are Black (5.0%) and Two or More Races (5.0%). 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 Malarney in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.2% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Malarney appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.2%), Black (5.0%), Two or More Races (5.0%). 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 Malarney (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 Malarney mean?
An antiquated derivative of the French surname "Malherbe", meaning ill-fated or unfortunate person. 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 Malarney (0.04 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 are called Malarney?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Malarney is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.