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

Markey, 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 Markey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Markey in America

Markey is the 6286th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Markey surname appeared 5,435 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Markey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Markey 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 Markey

The surname Markey is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic personal name "Muireadhach," which means "lord" or "sovereign." The name is believed to have originated in the 9th or 10th century, and was initially associated with the ancient kingdom of Bréifne, located in what is now County Cavan and County Leitrim in Ireland.

The Markey surname has a long and rich history, with references dating back to the 12th century. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, where a "Muireadhach Ua Maelsechlainn" is mentioned in the year 1146.

During the Middle Ages, the Markeys were a prominent family in the Irish midlands, and their name was often found in legal documents and land records. In the Annals of the Four Masters, a compilation of ancient Irish manuscripts, there are several references to notable individuals bearing the Markey surname, including Muireadhach Markey, a chieftain who died in 1168.

As the surname spread throughout Ireland, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Marky, Morky, and Murcky. Some of these variations were influenced by the anglicization of Irish names during the 16th and 17th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Markey surname in its modern spelling can be found in the 1659 Census of Ireland, where a "John Markey" is listed as a resident of County Cavan.

Notable individuals with the surname Markey throughout history include:

1. Patrick Markey (1804-1884), an Irish-American politician who served as the 11th Governor of Florida.
2. Anne Markey (1891-1936), an Irish author and playwright known for her works depicting rural life in Ireland.
3. John Markey (1932-2020), an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States Senator from Massachusetts.
4. Roger Markey (born 1958), a British actor and director best known for his roles in television series such as "Downton Abbey" and "Game of Thrones."
5. Kathleen Markey (born 1972), an American artist and photographer whose work has been exhibited in galleries across the United States and Europe.

While the Markey surname has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly through Irish emigration to countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia. However, the name's origins can be traced back to the ancient kingdom of Bréifne and the Gaelic personal name "Muireadhach," reflecting its deep connection to Irish history and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Markey

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

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

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

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