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

Nally, 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 Nally surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nally in America

Nally is the 11196th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nally surname appeared 2,824 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 Nally.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nally 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 Nally

The surname Nally is believed to have originated in Ireland, specifically in the province of Connacht. It is thought to be derived from the Irish Gaelic word "O'Naille," which translates to "descendant of Niall" or "descendant of the champion." This suggests that the name has its roots in the ancient Irish tradition of using patronymic surnames, which were based on the given name of a father or ancestor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Nally surname can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The annals mention several individuals with the surname Nally or variations of it, such as O'Naille or O'Naile, indicating that the name has a long and established history in Ireland.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Nally surname was particularly prominent in County Mayo, where several families bearing this name held land and positions of influence. One notable figure from this period was Fearfeasa O'Naille (c. 1590-1653), a historian and poet who wrote extensively about Irish history and culture.

As the centuries passed, the Nally surname spread beyond its original stronghold in Connacht, with families bearing this name establishing themselves in other parts of Ireland and eventually emigrating to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Among the notable individuals with the surname Nally throughout history are:

1. James C. Nally (1808-1876), an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Maryland.
2. Edward J. Nally (1849-1925), an American architect who designed several notable buildings in New York City, including the Herald Square Theatre.
3. Patrick Nally (1856-1945), an Irish politician and member of the Irish Parliamentary Party.
4. Kathleen Nally (1932-2019), an American politician and lawyer who served as the first female president of the District of Columbia Bar Association.
5. Joseph Nally (1934-2002), an American actor and screenwriter known for his work on films such as "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" and "The Pom Pom Girls."

While the Nally surname may have originated from a specific region in Ireland, it has since become a global name, carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures, each with their own unique stories and contributions to the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nally

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

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

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

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