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

McNulty, 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 McNulty surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McNulty in America

McNulty is the 2674th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McNulty surname appeared 13,483 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname McNulty.

We can also compare 2010 data for McNulty 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 McNulty

The surname McNulty is of Irish origin and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "mac an uallaig", which translate to "son of the proud or arrogant one". This suggests that the name may have originally been a descriptive nickname for an ancestor who was known for their arrogance or pride.

The McNulty name is most closely associated with County Donegal in Ulster, Ireland, where it was first recorded in the Annals of the Four Masters in the year 1181. The Annals mention a man named Muircheartach McNulty, who was a member of the influential O'Donnell clan.

In the 16th century, the McNulty family was among the most prominent and powerful families in Donegal, holding significant land and influence in the region. They were part of the Gaelic aristocracy and played an important role in the political and military affairs of the time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the McNulty name can be found in the Donegal Graces of 1603, where it is spelled "McNultagh". This was a document that granted land and privileges to several Gaelic families in the area.

A notable figure in the history of the McNulty name was Rory McNulty, a 16th-century chieftain who was involved in the Nine Years' War against English rule in Ireland. He was eventually captured and executed in 1607.

Another prominent McNulty was Hugh McNulty, a 17th-century Catholic priest and historian who wrote extensively about the history of Ireland and the struggles of the Catholic community during the Penal Laws.

In the 18th century, the McNulty family was largely dispossessed of their lands and power due to the ongoing conflicts between the English and Irish. Many members of the family were forced to emigrate, with significant numbers settling in North America and other parts of the world.

One notable McNulty from this period was John McNulty, an Irish-born soldier and explorer who served in the American Revolutionary War. He later became a prominent surveyor and helped map parts of the American frontier.

In the 19th century, James McNulty was a successful businessman and politician in New York City. He served as a member of the New York State Assembly and was involved in various civic and philanthropic endeavors.

As the McNulty name spread around the world, it also gave rise to various spelling variations, such as McNulty, McNulty, and McNulty, among others. Despite these variations, the name maintains its strong connection to its Irish roots and the proud history of the McNulty clan.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McNulty

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

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

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

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