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

Quillinan, 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 Quillinan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Quillinan in America

Quillinan is the 99845th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Quillinan surname appeared 181 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 Quillinan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Quillinan 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 Quillinan

The surname Quillinan is believed to have originated in Ireland, dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic words "cuille" meaning "hazel tree" and "uan" meaning "lamb," suggesting a connection to the rural or farming communities of the time.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Fiants of the Reign of Elizabeth I, a collection of letters and documents from the 16th century. In these records, the name appears as "Quillinan" and is associated with County Clare in western Ireland.

The surname Quillinan may also have ties to the Gaelic clan system, with some sources suggesting it was a sept (branch) of the larger O'Brien clan. This connection could potentially trace the name's origins back even further in Irish history.

In the 18th century, a notable figure bearing the Quillinan name was Michael Quillinan, who was born around 1740 in County Clare. He was a noted Irish poet and scholar, known for his work in preserving and promoting the Irish language and culture.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Edward Quillinan (1791-1851), an English poet and translator. He was born in Portugal to Irish parents and is best known for his translations of the works of Luis de Camões, a renowned Portuguese poet.

The name Quillinan can also be found in historical records from other parts of the world, likely due to Irish emigration. For instance, in the late 18th century, a man named Michael Quillinan was a successful merchant and landowner in Jamaica.

In the 19th century, a notable figure was Dora Quillinan (1846-1935), an Australian writer and journalist. She was born in Ireland but later emigrated to Australia, where she became a prominent voice for women's rights and social reform.

Another person of note was John Quillinan (1856-1927), an American politician and lawyer from Illinois. He served as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives and played a significant role in shaping the state's legal system.

While the surname Quillinan is not among the most common in the world, it has a rich history that spans several centuries and continents, with notable individuals leaving their mark in various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Quillinan

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

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

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

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