2000
#55,481
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 346
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.13
Very Rare Last name
Marrinan
A variant spelling of the Irish surname derived from Muireadhaigh, a diminutive form of the name Muireadhach meaning "mariner" or "seafarer".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 416 Americans carry the last name Marrinan. That puts it at #60,024 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.12 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 823,929 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Marrinan 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
416
1 in 823,929
Census rank
#60,024
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
363
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 363 bearers of the surname Marrinan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.12 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 60024th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Marrinan, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Marrinan
The surname Marrinan is of Irish origin, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the Gaelic name Ó Maoráin, which means "descendant of Maoráin." Maoráin itself is a diminutive form of the Irish name Maor, meaning "steward" or "bailiff."
The Marrinan family is thought to have hailed from County Mayo in the western province of Connacht. The name is particularly associated with the baronies of Erris and Gallen in that county. Early records show variations in the spelling, including Marrinan, Marrenane, and Marrinane.
One of the earliest documented references to the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The annals mention a certain Tomás Ó Maoráin, who was appointed as the Bishop of Mayo in 1302.
Another notable figure was Tadhg Ó Maoráin, a prominent landowner and chieftain in County Mayo during the 16th century. He is recorded as having led his clan's forces in battles against the English during the Nine Years' War (1594-1603).
In the 19th century, a prominent member of the Marrinan family was John Marrinan (1821-1887), a successful merchant and shipowner from Westport, County Mayo. He played a significant role in the local community and was involved in various charitable endeavors.
Another individual of note was Patrick Marrinan (1856-1932), a renowned Irish-American engineer who oversaw the construction of several major bridges in New York City, including the Manhattan Bridge and the Williamsburg Bridge.
Lastly, Michael Marrinan (1905-1982) was a respected Irish author and journalist who wrote extensively on Irish history and culture. His works include "The Threshing Floor" and "The Connemara Trilogy," which provided insights into the lives of rural Irish communities.
While the Marrinan name has its roots in County Mayo, bearers of this surname can be found throughout Ireland and among the Irish diaspora worldwide, particularly in the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Marrinan
Among Census respondents with the surname Marrinan, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Marrinan 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 Marrinan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.0% · 334
- Hispanic or Latino5.0% · 18
- Two or more races1.7% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 3
- Black or African American0.3% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Marrinan
Marrinan 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
#55,386
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 371
+25 bearers (+7.2%)
Per 100,000 0.13
Rank movement Up 95 places
2020
#60,024
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 363
-8 bearers (-2.2%)
Per 100,000 0.12
Rank movement Down 4,638 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #55,481 | 346 | 0.13 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #55,386 | 371 | 0.13 | +25 bearers (+7.2%) | Up 95 places |
| 2020 | #60,024 | 363 | 0.12 | -8 bearers (-2.2%) | Down 4,638 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 Marrinan 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 | #55,386 | #60,024 | -8.4% |
| Count | 371 | 363 | -2.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.13 | 0.12 | -6.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Marrinan bearers went from 371 to 363 (-2.2% change). The surname moved down 4,638 positions in the national ranking, going from #55,386 to #60,024.
FAQ
Marrinan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Marrinan?
Name Census estimates that about 416 living Americans carry the surname Marrinan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 823,929 residents.
How common is Marrinan?
Marrinan ranks #60,024 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.12 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 363 people with the surname Marrinan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (416), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.12 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.12 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 Marrinan.
Has Marrinan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Marrinan went from 371 recorded bearers to 363. That is a decrease of 8 (-2.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #55,386 to #60,024.
What does the Census say about the background of Marrinan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Marrinan, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Two or More Races (1.7%). 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 Marrinan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.0% (334 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Marrinan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.0%), Hispanic (5.0%), Two or More Races (1.7%). 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 Marrinan (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 Marrinan mean?
A variant spelling of the Irish surname derived from Muireadhaigh, a diminutive form of the name Muireadhach meaning "mariner" or "seafarer". 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 Marrinan (0.12 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 Americans have the surname Marrinan?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.