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

O'Maley, 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 O'Maley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of O'Maley in America

O'Maley is the 88336th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The O'Maley surname appeared 210 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 O'Maley.

We can also compare 2010 data for O'Maley 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 O'Maley

The surname OMALEY is of Irish origin, with roots tracing back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated in County Mayo, a region in the west of Ireland. The name is derived from the Gaelic words "O'Maille," which translates to "descendant of the bald one."

Historical records suggest that the OMALEY surname first appeared in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The Annals mention several individuals with variations of the name, such as O'Maille and O'Malley, who were prominent figures in the region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name OMALEY can be found in the 16th century, when a certain Gráinne Ní Mháille (c. 1530-1603), also known as Grace O'Malley, gained notoriety as a powerful Irish sea queen and pirate. She was renowned for her leadership and seafaring exploits along the western coast of Ireland.

Another notable figure in the history of the OMALEY surname was Conor Óg O'Malley (c. 1590-1642), a member of the Irish nobility who fought against English forces during the Irish Rebellion of 1641. He was eventually captured and executed for his role in the uprising.

In the 18th century, Michael O'Malley (1720-1789) was a prominent Catholic priest and educator who played a significant role in the establishment of St. Patrick's College in Maynooth, Ireland. His contributions to the education of Irish clergy during a time of religious persecution earned him recognition.

In the literary realm, Ernie O'Malley (1897-1957) was an Irish republican and writer known for his autobiographical accounts of the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War. His works, such as "On Another Man's Wound" and "The Singing Flame," provided valuable insights into the turbulent period of Irish history.

Throughout the centuries, the OMALEY surname has undergone various spelling variations, including O'Malley, O'Malie, O'Mally, and Omaley, reflecting the diverse regional dialects and linguistic influences in Ireland. The name has also been associated with several place names, such as Murrisk Abbey in County Mayo, which was once under the patronage of the O'Malley clan.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name O'Maley

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname O'Maley.

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 O'Maley 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 O'Maley 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 O'Maley was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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