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

Omey, 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 Omey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Omey in America

Omey is the 121590th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Omey surname appeared 142 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 Omey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Omey 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 Omey

The surname OMEY is believed to have originated in Ireland, derived from the Irish Gaelic word "Oighidh" meaning "student" or "scholar." This name was typically given to men who pursued religious studies or worked as clergymen.

The earliest recorded instances of the OMEY surname can be traced back to the 12th century in County Mayo, Ireland. Some historical documents suggest that the name was initially spelled as "Oighidh" or "O'Oighidh" before evolving into its current form.

In the 16th century, a prominent figure with the OMEY surname was Seán Óg Ó hÓigidh, a renowned Irish poet and storyteller who lived from 1560 to 1615. His works, which included poetry and tales of Irish folklore, played a significant role in preserving the rich cultural heritage of County Mayo.

During the 17th century, the OMEY surname gained recognition with the birth of Séamus Ó hÓigidh (1630-1695), a notable historian and scholar who authored several manuscripts chronicling the events and genealogies of prominent Irish families.

In the 18th century, the name OMEY was associated with Tadhg Ó hÓigidh (1725-1790), a respected Irish scholar and linguist who made significant contributions to the preservation of the Irish language and literature.

Another notable figure bearing the OMEY surname was Ciarán Ó hÓigidh (1850-1920), a prominent Irish nationalist and member of the Gaelic League, who actively campaigned for the revival of the Irish language and culture in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

While the OMEY surname has its roots in County Mayo, Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, primarily through Irish emigration. However, due to its historical significance and association with Irish scholars and intellectuals, the name remains deeply connected to its Irish heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Omey

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

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

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

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