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

Muldoon, 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 Muldoon surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Muldoon in America

Muldoon is the 8121st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Muldoon surname appeared 4,084 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Muldoon.

We can also compare 2010 data for Muldoon 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 Muldoon

The surname Muldoon is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name "Ó Maoldúin". This name is believed to have originated in the 10th century and can be traced back to County Sligo in the northwest of Ireland.

Ó Maoldúin translates to "descendant of Maoldún", with "Maol" meaning bald or tonsured and "dún" signifying a fortified place or stronghold. This suggests that the name may have belonged to an early chieftain or landowner in the region.

The earliest recorded instance of the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. It mentions a "Maoldún Ua Maoil Doraid" who died in 1035 AD. This entry highlights the name's longevity and its association with the area now known as County Sligo.

Over time, the spelling of the name evolved, with variations such as Muldoon, Muldowney, and Muldowny emerging. These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and anglicization of the original Irish name.

Notable individuals with the surname Muldoon include:

1. Patrick Muldoon (born 1969), an American actor best known for his roles in films like "Starship Troopers" and "Stigmata".

2. Sir Robert Muldoon (1921-1992), a New Zealand politician who served as the 31st Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1975 to 1984.

3. Paul Muldoon (born 1951), an Irish poet and academic who has won numerous awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 2003.

4. William Muldoon (1845-1933), an American wrestler and physical culture pioneer who trained several notable figures, including President Theodore Roosevelt.

5. John Joseph Muldoon (1849-1919), an Irish-American prelate who served as the Bishop of Rockford, Illinois, from 1908 until his death.

The name Muldoon can also be found in various place names, such as Muldoon, Texas, and Muldoon Road in Auckland, New Zealand, further solidifying its historical presence and geographic spread.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Muldoon

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

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

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

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