2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Philibin
Irish surname derived from the personal name Philbin, a diminutive form of Philip.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Philibin. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Philibin surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Philibin in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Philibin, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
Origin
Meaning and origin of Philibin
The surname Philibin originates from Ireland, with its roots tracing back to the 16th century. It is believed to be a variant of the Irish surname Philbin, which is derived from the Gaelic personal name Phillip or Philip. This name ultimately stems from the Greek word "Philos," meaning "lover of horses."
In the early 17th century, the Philibin surname appeared in various historical records, particularly in the counties of Mayo and Sligo in the province of Connacht. It is documented in the Fiants of the Reign of Elizabeth, which were administrative records from the late 16th century.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Philibin surname can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In the year 1585, the name Philibin is mentioned in reference to a prominent family from County Mayo.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Philibin family had a strong presence in the Crossmolina area of County Mayo. Notable individuals with this surname include John Philibin, who was born in Crossmolina in 1745 and served as a prominent merchant and landowner.
Another notable figure was Patrick Philibin, born in 1792 in County Mayo. He was a renowned scholar and author, known for his contributions to Irish literature and history.
In the 19th century, the Philibin surname gained recognition through the works of poet and writer Michael Philibin, who was born in County Sligo in 1825. His literary works, which celebrated Irish culture and traditions, earned him widespread acclaim.
The Philibin surname can also be found in various parish records and historical documents from counties Mayo and Sligo, indicating the family's longstanding presence in these regions.
It is worth noting that variations in spelling were common in historical records, with the surname appearing as Philibin, Philbin, Phillibin, and Phillibin, among others. These variations often reflected regional dialects and the preferences of record keepers.
Throughout its history, the Philibin surname has been associated with families from diverse backgrounds, including landowners, merchants, scholars, and artists, all contributing to the rich tapestry of Irish culture and heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Philibin
Among Census respondents with the surname Philibin, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
The bar chart below shows how Philibin bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Philibin surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White100.0% · 119
Timeline
Historical Census data for Philibin
Philibin appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#140,157
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+14 bearers (+13.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,751 places
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,631 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #144,908 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #140,157 | 119 | 0.04 | +14 bearers (+13.3%) | Up 4,751 places |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 2,631 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Philibin surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #140,157 | #142,788 | -1.9% |
| Count | 119 | 119 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Philibin bearers went from 119 to 119 (+0.0% change). The surname moved down 2,631 positions in the national ranking, going from #140,157 to #142,788.
FAQ
Philibin surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Philibin?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Philibin. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Philibin?
Philibin ranks #142,788 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 119 people with the surname Philibin. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Philibin.
Has Philibin become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Philibin went from 119 recorded bearers to 119. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #140,157 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Philibin?
Among Census respondents with the surname Philibin, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%. These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Philibin in the 2020 Census, accounting for 100.0% (119 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Philibin appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (100.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Philibin (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Philibin mean?
Irish surname derived from the personal name Philbin, a diminutive form of Philip. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Philibin (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Philibin?
Find out how many people are called Philibin on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.