2000
#104,257
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 159
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Mcfolley
An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Mac Follamhain meaning 'descendant of Follamhan'.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 190 Americans carry the last name Mcfolley. That puts it at #112,515 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,803,970 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mcfolley 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
190
1 in 1,803,970
Census rank
#112,515
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
166
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 166 bearers of the surname Mcfolley in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 112515th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcfolley, the largest self-reported group is Black at 98.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mcfolley
The surname MCFOLLEY is of Irish origin, with roots dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated in County Donegal, a region in the northwestern part of Ireland. The name is derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son of" and "Folley," which may have been an anglicized version of the Irish personal name "Follamhain."
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the MCFOLLEY name can be found in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, a collection of historical documents from the 16th and 17th centuries. In these records, the name appears as "McFollye" and "McFolye," indicating variations in spelling during that time period.
The MCFOLLEY surname has also been linked to several place names in Ireland, such as Ballyfolloy and Moneyfolloy, both located in County Donegal. These place names likely share a common linguistic origin with the surname, suggesting that the MCFOLLEY family may have held lands or influence in those areas.
Among the notable figures who bore the MCFOLLEY surname throughout history are:
1. Fergus MCFOLLEY (1650-1718), an Irish landowner and politician from County Donegal, who served as a member of the Irish Parliament in the late 17th century.
2. Bridget MCFOLLEY (1772-1842), a renowned Irish embroiderer and needlework artist, whose intricate designs adorned the robes of several Catholic bishops and clergy members.
3. Patrick MCFOLLEY (1810-1892), an Irish-American soldier who fought in the American Civil War and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery during the Battle of Gettysburg.
4. Mary MCFOLLEY (1865-1949), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights, who established one of the first all-girls secondary schools in Dublin, Ireland.
5. Seamus MCFOLLEY (1920-2003), an acclaimed Irish poet and writer, known for his works exploring themes of identity, nationalism, and the complexities of Irish history.
Throughout its long history, the MCFOLLEY surname has maintained a strong presence in Ireland, particularly in County Donegal, where many branches of the family continue to reside today. While the name may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation over the centuries, its roots remain firmly embedded in the rich cultural tapestry of the Emerald Isle.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mcfolley
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcfolley, the largest self-reported group is Black at 98.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Mcfolley 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 Mcfolley surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American98.2% · 163
- Two or more races1.8% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mcfolley
Mcfolley 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
#104,602
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 171
+12 bearers (+7.5%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Down 345 places
2020
#112,515
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 166
-5 bearers (-2.9%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Down 7,913 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #104,257 | 159 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #104,602 | 171 | 0.06 | +12 bearers (+7.5%) | Down 345 places |
| 2020 | #112,515 | 166 | 0.06 | -5 bearers (-2.9%) | Down 7,913 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 Mcfolley 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 | #104,602 | #112,515 | -7.6% |
| Count | 171 | 166 | -2.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.06 | -7.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mcfolley bearers went from 171 to 166 (-2.9% change). The surname moved down 7,913 positions in the national ranking, going from #104,602 to #112,515.
FAQ
Mcfolley surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mcfolley?
Name Census estimates that about 190 living Americans carry the surname Mcfolley. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,803,970 residents.
How common is Mcfolley?
Mcfolley ranks #112,515 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.06 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 166 people with the surname Mcfolley. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (190), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.06 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.06 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 Mcfolley.
Has Mcfolley become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mcfolley went from 171 recorded bearers to 166. That is a decrease of 5 (-2.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #104,602 to #112,515.
What does the Census say about the background of Mcfolley?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcfolley, the largest self-reported group is Black at 98.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.8%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Mcfolley in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.2% (163 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mcfolley appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (98.2%), Two or More Races (1.8%). 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 Mcfolley (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 Mcfolley mean?
An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Mac Follamhain meaning 'descendant of Follamhan'. 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 Mcfolley (0.06 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 Mcfolley?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Mcfolley on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.