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

Slattery, 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 Slattery surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Slattery in America

Slattery is the 4082nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Slattery surname appeared 8,695 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Slattery.

We can also compare 2010 data for Slattery 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 Slattery

The surname Slattery is of Irish origin, derived from the Old Irish word "slaitire," meaning "dweller in a valley" or "person from a sloping place." It is believed to have originated in the 12th century in County Kerry, Ireland.

In its earliest forms, the name was spelled as "Slaitir" or "Slaittir." Over time, various spelling variations emerged, including Slattery, Slattar, Slatter, and Slattre. These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and the challenges of consistent record-keeping during that era.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Slattery can be found in the Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland, which date back to the 11th century. The annals mention a person named "Slaittir" who lived in the area now known as County Kerry.

In the 16th century, the Slattery name appeared in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, which were records of grants and pardons issued by the English Crown in Ireland. This suggests that the Slattery family had established themselves as landowners or individuals of some significance during that period.

Notable individuals with the surname Slattery throughout history include:

1. Maurice Slattery (1835-1912), an Irish-American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts.
2. John Slattery (1787-1855), an Irish Catholic priest and educator who founded St. John's College in Waterford, Ireland.
3. Mary Slattery (1800-1880), an Irish nun and founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
4. Charles Slattery (1859-1937), an Australian politician and member of the Australian Senate.
5. John Slattery (born 1962), an American actor known for his roles in films and TV shows such as "Mad Men" and "Spotlight."

The Slattery name has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, particularly in County Kerry, where it is believed to have originated. Examples include Slattery's Bridge and Slattery's Cross, both located in the town of Tralee.

While the Slattery surname has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through Irish emigration to countries like the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Slattery

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

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

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

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