2000
#65,862
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 281
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.10
Very Rare Last name
Mceleney
An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Giolla Éanáin", meaning "son of the servant of St John".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 336 Americans carry the last name Mceleney. That puts it at #71,696 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.10 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,020,102 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mceleney 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 Mceleney with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
336
1 in 1,020,102
Census rank
#71,696
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
293
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 293 bearers of the surname Mceleney in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.10 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 71696th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mceleney, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mceleney
The surname McEleney is of Irish origin, originating from the county of Donegal in Ulster province. The name is derived from the Gaelic Mac Giolla Éanáin, meaning "son of the servant of St. Énán". St. Énán was a 7th-century Irish saint who established a monastery in Drumhome, County Donegal.
The McEleney name can be traced back to the 12th century, with early records showing various spellings such as MacGillEanain, MacGillEnane, and MacGillenane. The name is first mentioned in the Annals of Ulster, an ancient chronicle of medieval Irish history, in the year 1199.
In the 16th century, the McEleney clan was prominent in the Inishowen peninsula of County Donegal. During this time, the name appears in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, a collection of administrative records from the reign of the Tudor monarchs in Ireland.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the McEleney surname was Turlough McEleney, a chieftain who lived in the late 15th century. He was a descendant of the ancient Cenél Conaill dynasty and held significant influence in the region.
Another notable figure was Neachtan McEleney, a Catholic priest who lived in the late 16th century. He was active during the time of the Plantation of Ulster and played a role in preserving the Catholic faith in the region.
In the 17th century, the McEleney name is found in the Ulster Inquisitions, a series of surveys conducted by the English Crown to determine land ownership and distribution in Ireland. These records provide valuable insights into the family's landholdings and social status during this period.
One of the most famous individuals with the McEleney surname was Sir Cahir McEleney, a military commander who fought for the Irish Confederates during the Irish Confederate Wars (1641-1653). He led troops in several battles against the English Parliamentarian forces.
In the 18th century, the McEleney name is associated with the Penal Laws, a series of oppressive laws imposed on Catholics in Ireland. Many McEleneys, like other Catholic families, faced discrimination and had their lands and rights curtailed during this period.
Throughout history, the McEleney name has been closely tied to the history and struggles of the Irish people, particularly in the counties of Donegal and Derry. Despite facing challenges, the McEleney family has maintained a strong presence in these regions and has contributed significantly to the cultural fabric of Ireland.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mceleney
Among Census respondents with the surname Mceleney, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Mceleney 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 Mceleney surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.4% · 262
- Hispanic or Latino4.1% · 12
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.7% · 8
- Two or more races2.7% · 8
- Black or African American0.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mceleney
Mceleney 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
#67,519
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 292
+11 bearers (+3.9%)
Per 100,000 0.10
Rank movement Down 1,657 places
2020
#71,696
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 293
+1 bearers (+0.3%)
Per 100,000 0.10
Rank movement Down 4,177 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #65,862 | 281 | 0.10 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #67,519 | 292 | 0.10 | +11 bearers (+3.9%) | Down 1,657 places |
| 2020 | #71,696 | 293 | 0.10 | +1 bearers (+0.3%) | Down 4,177 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 Mceleney 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 | #67,519 | #71,696 | -6.2% |
| Count | 292 | 293 | 0.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.10 | 0.10 | -2.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mceleney bearers went from 292 to 293 (+0.3% change). The surname moved down 4,177 positions in the national ranking, going from #67,519 to #71,696.
FAQ
Mceleney surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mceleney?
Name Census estimates that about 336 living Americans carry the surname Mceleney. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,020,102 residents.
How common is Mceleney?
Mceleney ranks #71,696 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.10 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 293 people with the surname Mceleney. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (336), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.1 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.10 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 Mceleney.
Has Mceleney become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mceleney went from 292 recorded bearers to 293. That is an increase of 1 (+0.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #67,519 to #71,696.
What does the Census say about the background of Mceleney?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mceleney, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%). 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 Mceleney in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.4% (262 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mceleney appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.4%), Hispanic (4.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%). 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 Mceleney (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 Mceleney mean?
An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Giolla Éanáin", meaning "son of the servant of St John". 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 Mceleney (0.10 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 share the surname Mceleney?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.