Explore the Family Name Birney
The meaning of Birney
1. Scottish: habitational name from a place in Morayshire, recorded in the 13th century as Brennach, probably from Gaelic braonach ‘damp place’. See also Birnie. 2. Irish and Scottish: from Mac Biorna, see Burney.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Birney in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Birney saw a slight change between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 18,551st in terms of prevalence and increased to 18,751st in 2010, indicating a drop in rank by 1.08%. However, the actual count of people with this surname increased from 1,372 in 2000 to 1,463 in 2010, showing an increase of 6.63%. The proportion per 100k people decreased slightly by 1.96% during the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #18,551 | #18,751 | -1.08% |
| Count | 1,372 | 1,463 | 6.63% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.51 | 0.5 | -1.96% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Birney
In terms of ethnic identity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows some shifts among those who bear the surname Birney. While the majority identified as White (95.55% in 2000 reducing to 93.10% in 2010), there were notable increases in other ethnic identities. The Hispanic representation experienced a significant rise of 161.76%, increasing from 1.02% in 2000 to 2.67% in 2010. Likewise, the Asian/Pacific Islander group also saw a growth of 96.97%, from 0.66% to 1.30%. Meanwhile, the percentage of those identifying as two or more races rose from 1.31% to 1.78%, marking a 35.88% increase. The Black demographic saw a minor increase of 13.64%. There was a decrease in the number of individuals identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native, falling from 0.80% to 0.41%, a decrease of 48.75%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.55% | 93.1% | -2.56% |
| Hispanic | 1.02% | 2.67% | 161.76% |
| Two or More Races | 1.31% | 1.78% | 35.88% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.66% | 1.3% | 96.97% |
| Black | 0.66% | 0.75% | 13.64% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.8% | 0.41% | -48.75% |