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

Reiley, 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 Reiley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Reiley in America

Reiley is the 18116th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Reiley surname appeared 1,537 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Reiley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Reiley 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 Reiley

The surname Reiley is of Irish origin, with its roots tracing back to the medieval era in Ireland. It is a variant spelling of the name Reilly, which is derived from the Gaelic surname Ó Raghailligh. This surname means "descendant of Raghaillach," a personal name that translates to "valorous" or "having great valor."

The Reillys were a prominent clan in County Cavan, Ireland, and their name is believed to have originated in that region. The earliest recorded mention of the name dates back to the 13th century when a Robertus Reyly is listed in the Annals of Ulster in 1273.

In the 14th century, a notable figure named Mathew Reilly is mentioned in the Annals of Clonmacnoise as one of the gallowglasses (elite mercenary warriors) who fought alongside the O'Conors of Connacht in 1315. This historical reference provides evidence of the Reillys' military prowess and their involvement in the conflicts of that era.

The Reiley surname has also been connected to various place names in Ireland, such as Reillystown and Reilighmulchill, indicating the presence of Reiley families in those areas. These place names likely derived from the surname itself, reflecting the influence and dominance of the clan in certain regions.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the Reiley spelling can be found in the late 16th century when Sir John Reiley of County Westmeath is mentioned in the Annals of the Four Masters in 1588. He was a prominent figure who played a role in the Nine Years' War (1594-1603) against English forces in Ireland.

Other notable individuals with the Reiley surname include:

1. James Whitfield Reiley (1810-1888), an American politician and lawyer who served as a U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania.
2. John James Reiley (1799-1857), an Irish-American author and editor known for his work "Life of Andrew Jackson."
3. Reverend John Reiley (1795-1857), an American Catholic priest and missionary who established several churches in Pennsylvania.
4. Edward Reiley (1832-1909), an American businessman and philanthropist who founded the Reiley Institute in Pennsylvania.
5. Sir John Reiley (c. 1550-1626), an Irish nobleman and soldier who fought against English forces during the Nine Years' War.

The Reiley surname has a rich history rooted in the medieval era of Ireland, reflecting the valor and military prowess of its bearers. Its variations and connections to place names provide insights into the geographic distribution and influence of the Reiley clan throughout Irish history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Reiley

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

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

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

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