Find out how popular the last name Skay is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Skay.
Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname "Scathe," meaning "intelligent" or "wise."
Skay, 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 Skay surname is from the 2010 census data.
Skay is the 95545th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Skay surname appeared 191 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 Skay.
We can also compare 2010 data for Skay 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.
| 2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | 95545 | 89895 | 6.09% |
| Count | 191 | 191 | 0.00% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.06 | 0.07 | -15.38% |
The surname Skay originates from the Scottish Highlands, where it first appeared in written records in the late 15th century. It is believed to derive from the Old Norse word "skey," meaning a small islet or rocky outcrop in the sea, indicating that the name's bearers likely resided on or near such a landform.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1491, which mention a John Skay from the parish of Kilmuir on the Isle of Skye. This suggests that the surname may have initially been associated with this particular island, though its precise origins remain uncertain.
In the 16th century, the name appeared in various forms, including Skey, Skay, and Skea, reflecting the fluid nature of surname spellings during that era. The Skay family is known to have held lands in the parishes of Sleat and Strath on the Isle of Skye, as evidenced by records from the late 1500s.
A notable bearer of the name was Iain Skay, a Scottish warrior who fought alongside the Clan Donald in the Battle of Glenlivet in 1594. His bravery and skill in combat earned him recognition among his contemporaries, and his exploits were chronicled in the annals of the time.
In the 17th century, the surname Skay spread beyond the confines of the Scottish Highlands, with bearers of the name appearing in various parts of Scotland and England. One such individual was William Skay (1616-1682), a merchant and landowner from Aberdeen, who amassed considerable wealth through his trading ventures.
The 18th century saw the rise of a prominent Skay family in the county of Fife, with John Skay (1712-1788) serving as the Provost (mayor) of the royal burgh of Culross from 1760 to 1788. His son, James Skay (1745-1822), followed in his footsteps as a respected local leader and served as a magistrate in Culross.
As the centuries progressed, members of the Skay family continued to make their mark in various fields, including academia, politics, and the arts. Notable figures include Sir James Skay (1820-1895), a Scottish philosopher and educator who served as the Principal of the University of St. Andrews, and Archibald Skay (1857-1933), a renowned landscape painter whose works captured the rugged beauty of the Scottish Highlands.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Skay.
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:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Skay was:
| Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic White Only | 96.34% | 184 |
| Non-Hispanic Black Only | 0.00% | 0 |
| Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | (S)% | (S) |
| Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S) |
| Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | (S)% | (S) |
| Hispanic Origin | (S)% | (S) |
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 Skay has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
| 2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.34% | 95.29% | 1.10% |
| Black | 0.00% | (S)% | (S)% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
| Two or More Races | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
| Hispanic | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
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 Skay was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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