Explore the Family Name Relihan

The meaning of Relihan

Irish (Cork): shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Roileacháin ‘descendant of Roileachán’. Roileachán is a diminutive of the name Roghallach (see Riley).

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Relihan in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Relihan saw a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked as the 62,236th most popular surname in the United States, but by 2010 it had slipped to the 64,891st position, marking a 4.27% decline. Despite this drop in ranking, the actual count of individuals with the Relihan surname increased from 301 to 306, a growth of 1.66%. The proportion per 100,000 people also decreased slightly by 9.09%.

20002010Change
Rank#62,236#64,891-4.27%
Count3013061.66%
Proportion per 100k0.110.1-9.09%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Relihan

As for the ethnic identity associated with the surname Relihan, the Decennial U.S. Census reveals that the majority identify as White. In 2000, 95.35% of individuals with the Relihan surname identified as White, and this percentage rose to 97.06% by 2010. There was a presence of Hispanic ethnicity within the Relihan surname population, albeit at a smaller percentage. It dropped by 31.02%, from 3.32% in 2000 to 2.29% in 2010. There were no recorded instances of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.

20002010Change
White95.35%97.06%1.79%
Hispanic3.32%2.29%-31.02%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
Two or More Races0%0%0%
Black0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%