# Delaney (surname)

Source: https://namelineage.com/surname/delaney/  
Publisher: Name Lineage. Counts from the US Census Bureau; origin and etymology from Wiktionary; bearers from Wikidata. Data updated 2026-11-11.

A surname from Old French.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Origin | French |
| Type | patronymic, formed from a father’s (or ancestor’s) given name |
| People in the US (2010 Census) | 33,218 |
| US rank (2010) | 1,057 of 162,253 |
| How often | about 1 in every 9,295 people |
| Change since 2000 | +6.3% (31,236 in 2000) |
| Pronunciation | /dɪˈleɪni/, 3 syllables |
| Variant spellings | Dulaney |

## Etymology

From a Norman baronial surname, from a place in France, Old French del aunaie (“from the alder grove”). In Ireland an anglicization of Irish Ó Dubhshláine (descendant of Black (dubh) + Challenge (slán)).

## Who carries it

Share of people named Delaney in the 2010 US Census by the Census's own race and ethnicity groups. The Census suppresses a share when the count behind it is small.

| Group | Share |
|---|---|
| White (not Hispanic) | 84% |
| Black (not Hispanic) | 11% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.3% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 0.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
| Two or more races | 1.8% |

## Where

Wikidata records people named Delaney in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.

## People named Delaney

- Kim Delaney, American actress
- Brian T. Delaney, American actor
- Rob Delaney, American comedian and actor
- Malcolm Delaney, American basketball player (born 1989)
- John Delaney, American politician (born 1963)
- Jim Delaney, American shot putter (1921–2012)
- Ashley Delaney, Australian swimmer, Olympic silver medallist
- Colin Delaney, American professional wrestler
- Beauford Delaney, African American artist (1901-1979)
- Charles Delaney, American actor (1892–1959)
- Lucy Delaney, American writer (1830-1890)
- April McClain-Delaney, American politician

## Similar surnames

Deleon, Deluna, Delano, Dulaney, Delany, Deloney, Delaune, Dillon, Dolan, Dhillon, Dulin, Doolin.

## How to read these numbers

A Census count is people alive and counted in 2010, not births, and names occurring fewer than 100 times are not published at all. Ethnicity shares are the Census's own categories.