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

Slan, 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 Slan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Slan in America

Slan is the 85357th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Slan surname appeared 219 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 Slan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Slan 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 Slan

The surname SLAN is believed to have originated in Ireland, with its roots tracing back to the Old Irish language. It is thought to be derived from the word "slán," which means "whole" or "healthy." This name likely emerged during the early medieval period, when many Irish surnames were formed based on personal characteristics or occupations.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the SLAN surname can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The text mentions a notable figure named Donnchadh Slan, who lived in the 11th century and was a member of the Uí Néill dynasty that ruled parts of Ulster and Meath.

In the 13th century, the SLAN name appeared in various legal documents and land records in counties such as Donegal, Sligo, and Mayo. This suggests that families bearing this surname were well-established in these regions during the Middle Ages.

One notable bearer of the SLAN surname was Fearghal Slan, a 15th-century Irish poet and chieftain of the Síol Muireadhaigh dynasty in County Roscommon. His works, which included praise poems and laments, were widely celebrated in his time.

In the 16th century, the SLAN name was also found in several English translation records, often spelled as "Slane" or "Sleyne." This variation in spelling was common during this period, as standardized spellings were not yet established.

Another prominent figure with the SLAN surname was Ruaidhrí Slan, a 17th-century Irish soldier and landowner from County Donegal. He fought alongside the Irish Confederate forces during the Irish Confederate Wars of the 1640s.

Throughout the centuries, the SLAN surname has also been associated with several place names in Ireland, such as Sleynish Island in County Mayo and Slan Head in County Donegal. These place names may have been derived from the surname or vice versa, reflecting the deep-rooted connections between Irish families and their ancestral lands.

Other notable individuals bearing the SLAN surname include:

1. Seán Slan (1792-1856), an Irish language poet and scribe from County Mayo.
2. Máire Slan (1875-1944), a prominent Irish Republican and activist from County Sligo.
3. Diarmuid Slan (1901-1985), an Irish historian and academic who specialized in medieval Irish history.
4. Fionnuala Slan (1924-2012), an Irish novelist and short story writer from County Donegal.
5. Cormac Slan (born 1963), a contemporary Irish artist and sculptor based in Dublin.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Slan

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

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

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

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