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

Muskelly, 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 Muskelly surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Muskelly in America

Muskelly is the 109258th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Muskelly surname appeared 162 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Muskelly.

We can also compare 2010 data for Muskelly 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 Muskelly

The surname Muskelly is of Irish origin, with its roots dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the Gaelic words "musc" and "caladh," which together translate to "musty harbor" or "stale creek." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with people who lived near such bodies of water.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Muskelly can be found in the Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland, a historical chronicle compiled in the 15th and 16th centuries. The text mentions a family by the name of Muskelly residing in County Donegal, which was a stronghold of Gaelic culture and tradition during that period.

In the late 17th century, the name appears in the Hearth Money Rolls, a tax record maintained by the English government. This document lists several households bearing the surname Muskelly in the counties of Sligo and Mayo, indicating the name's presence in the western regions of Ireland.

During the 18th century, the name underwent several spelling variations, such as Muskelley, Muskily, and Muskaly. These variations were likely due to the phonetic transcription of the name by English-speaking record keepers, as well as regional dialects and accents.

One notable figure with the surname Muskelly was Patrick Muskelly, born in 1795 in County Sligo. He was a prominent Irish nationalist and supporter of Daniel O'Connell's campaign for Catholic Emancipation. Patrick Muskelly was actively involved in various political movements of the time and was known for his impassioned speeches advocating for Irish rights.

Another individual of note was Bridget Muskelly, born in 1832 in County Mayo. She was a renowned traditional Irish singer and storyteller, renowned for preserving and passing down the rich cultural heritage of her region through her repertoire of songs and tales.

In the late 19th century, the name Muskelly also appears in historical records related to the Irish diaspora. John Muskelly, born in 1867 in County Sligo, emigrated to the United States and settled in Boston, where he became a respected figure in the local Irish-American community.

Additionally, the Muskelly surname has been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Muskelly Lough in County Donegal and Muskelly Townland in County Sligo. These locations may have served as the original homesteads or settlements of families bearing the name.

Throughout its history, the surname Muskelly has maintained a strong connection to its Irish roots, reflecting the cultural and linguistic traditions of the regions from which it originated.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Muskelly

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

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

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

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