2000
#2,538
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 13,080
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.85
Uncommon Last name
Mcnulty
An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac an Ultaigh," meaning "son of the Ulsterman."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 15,209 Americans carry the last name Mcnulty. That puts it at #2,653 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.44 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 22,536 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mcnulty 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 Mcnulty with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
15K
1 in 22,536
Census rank
#2,653
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
13K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 13,263 bearers of the surname Mcnulty in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.44 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2653rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcnulty, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.2%) and Black (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mcnulty
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcnulty, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.2%) and Black (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Mcnulty 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 Mcnulty surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.5% · 11,875
- Hispanic or Latino3.2% · 424
- Black or African American3.0% · 394
- Two or more races3.0% · 393
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 144
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 33
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mcnulty
Mcnulty 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
#2,674
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 13,483
+403 bearers (+3.1%)
Per 100,000 4.57
Rank movement Down 136 places
2020
#2,653
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 13,263
-220 bearers (-1.6%)
Per 100,000 4.44
Rank movement Up 21 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,538 | 13,080 | 4.85 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,674 | 13,483 | 4.57 | +403 bearers (+3.1%) | Down 136 places |
| 2020 | #2,653 | 13,263 | 4.44 | -220 bearers (-1.6%) | Up 21 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 Mcnulty 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 | #2,674 | #2,653 | 0.8% |
| Count | 13,483 | 13,263 | -1.6% |
| Per 100K | 4.57 | 4.44 | -2.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mcnulty bearers went from 13,483 to 13,263 (-1.6% change). The surname moved up 21 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,674 to #2,653.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Mcnulty
FAQ
Mcnulty surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mcnulty?
Name Census estimates that about 15,209 living Americans carry the surname Mcnulty. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 22,536 residents.
How common is Mcnulty?
Mcnulty ranks #2,653 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.44 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 13,263 people with the surname Mcnulty. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (15,209), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.44 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.44 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Mcnulty.
Has Mcnulty become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mcnulty went from 13,483 recorded bearers to 13,263. That is a decrease of 220 (-1.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #2,674 to #2,653.
What does the Census say about the background of Mcnulty?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcnulty, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.2%) and Black (3.0%). 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 Mcnulty in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.5% (11,875 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mcnulty appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.5%), Hispanic (3.2%), Black (3.0%). 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 Mcnulty (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 Mcnulty mean?
An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac an Ultaigh," meaning "son of the Ulsterman." 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 Mcnulty (4.44 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 have the surname Mcnulty?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.