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

Twomey, 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 Twomey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Twomey in America

Twomey is the 9949th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Twomey surname appeared 3,245 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 Twomey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Twomey 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 Twomey

The surname Twomey originates from Ireland, specifically from the southwestern region of County Cork. It is an anglicized version of the Old Irish Gaelic name "Ó Tuama," which means "descendant of Tuama." The name Tuama is derived from the word "tuaim," meaning "a tumulus or burial mound."

The earliest recorded instances of the name Twomey can be traced back to the 12th century, where it was found in various Irish annals and manuscripts. One notable early reference is in the Annals of Inisfallen, which mentions a "Donnchad Ua Tuama" in the year 1164.

In the 16th century, the Twomey family was prominent in the barony of Muskerry, County Cork, where they were among the leading septs (clans) of the MacCarthy Reagh dynasty. During this period, the name was also spelled as "Toomey," "Twoomy," and "Twomy."

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Twomey was Dermot Twomey, who was born in County Cork around 1580. He was a member of the Irish military and fought in the Nine Years' War against English forces.

Another notable figure was William Twomey (1619-1688), who was a Catholic priest and scholar from County Cork. He served as the Bishop of Cork and Cloyne and was known for his opposition to the Penal Laws imposed on Catholics in Ireland.

In the 18th century, John Twomey (1714-1792) was a prominent landowner and member of the Irish Parliament, representing the constituency of Doneraile in County Cork.

During the Irish Rebellion of 1798, Michael Twomey (1770-1798) was a leader of the United Irishmen rebellion in County Cork. He was captured and executed by British forces in 1798.

In the 19th century, Michael Twomey (1805-1878) was a notable Irish Catholic priest and educator. He was the founder of St. Colman's College in Fermoy, County Cork, which became one of the leading Catholic schools in Ireland.

While the surname Twomey has its origins in County Cork, it has since spread throughout Ireland and to other parts of the world due to emigration. However, the name retains its strong connections to its historical roots in the southwestern region of Ireland.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Twomey

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

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

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

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