2010
#157,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Whoriskey
An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó hOrdhasaigh, derived from the given name Ordhasach meaning "pale green".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Whoriskey. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Whoriskey surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Whoriskey in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Whoriskey, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Whoriskey
The surname Whoriskey has its roots in Ireland, predominantly associated with the northern province of Ulster. The name originates from the Gaelic O hUarraisce, translating roughly to descendant of Uarrasc. The given name Uarrasc is believed to be derived from the Gaelic word uar, meaning cold. The name Whoriskey thus belongs to the larger tradition of Irish Gaelic surnames that began to form around the 10th to 12th centuries.
The earliest records of the surname can be traced to County Donegal. The O hUarraisce clan was known to occupy regions in the northwestern parts of Ireland, with their presence documented in various historical records. Manuscripts from the 14th and 15th centuries reference the Uarrasc family in the annals of the Four Masters, which contains chronicles of medieval Irish history.
One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name was Tadhg O hUarraisce, mentioned in a 15th-century manuscript detailing the Lords of Tirconnell in County Donegal. The area was known for its Gaelic Irish nobility and clan-based societal structure. The spelling of the name has evolved over time, with variations such as O'Huaragse and Hoarisky documented in 16th and 17th-century records.
Another prominent person with the surname was Cornelius Whoriskey, born around 1710, an influential figure in the local community of Donegal during the early 18th century. The name continued to surface in parish records and legal documents, such as the registers of baptisms, marriages, and deaths kept by the Catholic Church, attesting to the family's longstanding presence in the region.
Michael Whoriskey, born in 1775, was noted for his role in Irish land disputes in the early 19th century. His involvement in tenant rights and land reform movements was documented in the proceedings of various local councils and assemblies. The name's association with regional activism and local leadership became a defining characteristic of the family’s history.
In the late 19th century, Patrick Whoriskey, an emigrant to the United States born in 1832, emerged as a significant figure among the Irish diaspora. His journey and subsequent success in America were recorded in letters and personal accounts, offering a glimpse into the family’s adaptation and perseverance in a new world. These historical references underscore the enduring legacy and influence of the Whoriskey family over the centuries.
Another notable Whoriskey was Mary Whoriskey, born in 1850, who became a prominent educator and advocate for women's education in Dublin. Her contributions to the local school's system were recorded in educational board minutes and local newspaper archives, illustrating the family's ongoing commitment to community and service.
These examples from diverse historical periods demonstrate the varied contributions and enduring presence of individuals bearing the surname Whoriskey. Whether through leadership, activism, or community service, the Whoriskey name has etched its mark in the annals of Irish history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Whoriskey
Among Census respondents with the surname Whoriskey, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Whoriskey bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Whoriskey surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.1% · 111
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
- Two or more races0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Whoriskey
Whoriskey appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+15 bearers (+14.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 13,723 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #157,234 | 103 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | +15 bearers (+14.6%) | Up 13,723 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Whoriskey surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #157,234 | #143,511 | 8.7% |
| Count | 103 | 118 | 14.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 31.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Whoriskey bearers went from 103 to 118 (+14.6% change). The surname moved up 13,723 positions in the national ranking, going from #157,234 to #143,511.
FAQ
Whoriskey surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Whoriskey?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Whoriskey. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Whoriskey?
Whoriskey ranks #143,511 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 118 people with the surname Whoriskey. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Whoriskey.
Has Whoriskey become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Whoriskey went from 103 recorded bearers to 118. That is an increase of 15 (+14.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #157,234 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Whoriskey?
Among Census respondents with the surname Whoriskey, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Whoriskey in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.1% (111 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Whoriskey appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.1%), Hispanic (3.4%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Whoriskey (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Whoriskey mean?
An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó hOrdhasaigh, derived from the given name Ordhasach meaning "pale green". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Whoriskey (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Whoriskey?
If you just want to know how many people have the last name Whoriskey, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.