Find out how popular the last name O'Young 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'Young.

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

Popularity of O'Young in America

O'Young is the 133863rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The O'Young surname appeared 126 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'Young.

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

The surname OYOUNG has its origins in the Gaelic language, and can be traced back to the medieval era in Ireland. It is believed to have derived from the Irish Gaelic words "Ó Eing," which translates to "descendant of Eing." Eing was a personal name that was common in ancient Ireland, and it is thought to have meant "valiant" or "brave."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name OYOUNG can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. This text mentions an Ó Eing family who lived in County Sligo, Ireland, during the 13th century. The name is also found in various other historical records from that time period, such as the Pipe Rolls of Cloyne, which document landholdings and taxation records in County Cork.

The OYOUNG surname was particularly prevalent in the provinces of Connacht and Munster, where it was associated with several prominent families. One notable bearer of the name was Seán Ó Eing, a 16th-century Gaelic poet and scholar from County Mayo. His works, which include religious poetry and historical writings, provide valuable insights into the cultural and literary traditions of medieval Ireland.

Another influential figure with the OYOUNG surname was Donnchadh Ó Eing, who lived in the 15th century and served as the Chief Brehon (judge) of the O'Donnell clan in County Donegal. He was renowned for his expertise in the Brehon Laws, the ancient legal system of Gaelic Ireland.

In the 17th century, the name OYOUNG gained prominence through the exploits of Turlough Ó Eing, a military commander who fought alongside the Irish Confederate forces during the Confederate Wars of the 1640s. He played a crucial role in several battles against the English Parliamentary forces, including the Siege of Limerick in 1651.

During the Plantation of Ulster in the early 17th century, many Irish families, including those bearing the OYOUNG surname, were displaced from their ancestral lands. As a result, the name became more widely dispersed throughout Ireland and beyond, as families sought new opportunities in other regions and countries.

While the spelling and pronunciation of the surname have evolved over time, the OYOUNG name continues to be a tangible link to Ireland's rich Gaelic heritage and the historical figures who helped shape the country's cultural and political landscape.

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

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

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'Young 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'Young 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'Young 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'Young, please contact us.

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