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

Neilan, 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 Neilan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Neilan in America

Neilan is the 38801st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Neilan surname appeared 569 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 Neilan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Neilan 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 Neilan

The surname NEILAN originates from Ireland, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Niallán," which itself is a diminutive form of the name "Niall." The name Niall is thought to have its roots in the Old Irish word "nïall," meaning "champion" or "cloud."

The NEILAN surname is particularly associated with County Mayo in the western region of Ireland. Historical records indicate that the name was prominent among families in the baronies of Carra, Erris, and Gallen in Mayo. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century.

In the 14th century, a document known as the "Pipe Roll of Cloyne" mentions a "Dermitius O'Nellan" as a landowner in County Cork. This suggests that the NEILAN name had spread beyond its original Mayo heartland by that time. Over the centuries, various spelling variations of the surname emerged, including Neylan, Nealon, and Neelan.

One notable bearer of the NEILAN surname was John Neilan (1847-1914), an Irish-born railway contractor and entrepreneur who helped construct many railways in Australia during the late 19th century. Another prominent figure was Michael Neilan (1887-1972), an American film director and producer who worked in Hollywood during the silent film era and early "talkies."

In the world of literature, John Neilan (1904-1980) was an Irish poet and writer who published several collections of poetry and plays. One of his best-known works is the play "The Freeman of Erris," which explores the lives of rural Irish communities in the early 20th century.

The NEILAN name has also been carried by notable academics, such as Edouard Neilan (1892-1984), a French-born American professor of philosophy who taught at several prestigious universities, including Harvard and Columbia.

Furthermore, in the realm of sports, Patrick Neilan (1895-1962) was an Irish hurler who played for the Tipperary senior team and won an All-Ireland championship in 1916.

While these are just a few examples, the NEILAN surname has a rich history and has been borne by individuals across various fields and regions over the centuries, reflecting the diverse experiences and accomplishments of those who carried this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Neilan

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

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

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

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