2000
#150,436
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Meluskey
A surname derived from the Irish surname Ó Maoilsheachlainn, meaning "descendant of a devotee of St. Secundinus".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 119 Americans carry the last name Meluskey. That puts it at #153,590 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,880,289 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Meluskey 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
119
1 in 2,880,289
Census rank
#153,590
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
104
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 104 bearers of the surname Meluskey in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 153590th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Meluskey, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (1.9%) and Black (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Meluskey
The surname MELUSKEY has its origins in the Gaelic language and can be traced back to the northwestern regions of Ireland, particularly the counties of Donegal and Sligo, during the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the ancient Celtic word "melusc," meaning "mussel" or "shellfish," suggesting that the name may have originally referred to a person who lived near the coast and was involved in the collection or trade of mussels.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, where a clan leader named Donnchad Meluskey is mentioned as participating in a local skirmish in the year 1187. This reference provides evidence that the name was already established in the region during that time period.
In the 14th century, the name Meluskey appears in several land deeds and legal documents from the county of Donegal, indicating the presence of a family or clan bearing this surname. One such document, dated 1372, mentions a landowner named Eoghan Meluskey who held property near the village of Glencolumbkille.
The earliest known record of the name in its modern spelling can be found in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, a collection of official documents from the 16th century, where a man named Fergal Meluskey is listed as receiving a pardon for his involvement in a local uprising in 1589.
Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the surname Meluskey. One such figure was Seán Meluskey (1745-1819), a renowned Irish harpist and composer from County Sligo, who was known for his mastery of traditional Irish music and is credited with preserving many ancient melodies.
Another prominent Meluskey was Bridget Meluskey (1812-1888), a philanthropist and advocate for women's education in County Donegal. She founded several schools and established a scholarship program to support underprivileged girls in their pursuit of higher education.
In the realm of literature, the name Meluskey is associated with Patrick Meluskey (1870-1946), an Irish poet and playwright from County Donegal, whose works often explored themes of rural life and the struggles of the working class.
The 19th century also saw the emergence of John Meluskey (1842-1914), a successful businessman and entrepreneur from County Sligo, who established a thriving shipping company and played a significant role in the economic development of the region.
Finally, one cannot overlook the contributions of Michael Meluskey (1902-1987), a renowned archaeologist and historian from County Donegal, whose extensive research and publications shed light on the rich cultural heritage and ancient civilizations of Ireland.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Meluskey
Among Census respondents with the surname Meluskey, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (1.9%) and Black (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Meluskey 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 Meluskey surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.2% · 99
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.9% · 2
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
- Two or more races1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Meluskey
Meluskey 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
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
+9 bearers (+9.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 16 places
2020
#153,590
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-5 bearers (-4.6%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 3,138 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #150,436 | 100 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+9.0%) | Down 16 places |
| 2020 | #153,590 | 104 | 0.03 | -5 bearers (-4.6%) | Down 3,138 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 Meluskey 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 | #150,452 | #153,590 | -2.1% |
| Count | 109 | 104 | -4.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Meluskey bearers went from 109 to 104 (-4.6% change). The surname moved down 3,138 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #153,590.
FAQ
Meluskey surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Meluskey?
Name Census estimates that about 119 living Americans carry the surname Meluskey. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,880,289 residents.
How common is Meluskey?
Meluskey ranks #153,590 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 104 people with the surname Meluskey. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (119), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Meluskey.
Has Meluskey become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Meluskey went from 109 recorded bearers to 104. That is a decrease of 5 (-4.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #150,452 to #153,590.
What does the Census say about the background of Meluskey?
Among Census respondents with the surname Meluskey, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (1.9%) and Black (1.0%). 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 Meluskey in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.2% (99 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Meluskey appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.2%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.9%), Black (1.0%). 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 Meluskey (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 Meluskey mean?
A surname derived from the Irish surname Ó Maoilsheachlainn, meaning "descendant of a devotee of St. Secundinus". 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 Meluskey (0.03 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 common is the surname Meluskey?
Want to know how common the surname Meluskey is? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.