Mcneal
Scottish surname transferred to a masculine given name of uncertain meaning.
Name Census estimates that about 8 living Americans carry the first name Mcneal. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Mcneal today is around 78 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Mcneal births was 1920 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Mcneal. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Mcneal is about 78 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Mcneals were born before 1958.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Mcneal. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
8
~ 1 in 42,844,292 Americans
Peak year
1920
7 babies that year
Average age
78
years old
1952 SSA rank
#4,094
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Mcneal: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Mcneal from the 1910s through to the 1950s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 17 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Mcneal by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Mcneal during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Mcneal
The name Mcneal is of Scottish origin and is believed to have its roots in the Gaelic language. The name is thought to be derived from the Gaelic words "mac" and "niall," which together mean "son of Neil." The name Neil itself is derived from the Old Irish name "Niall," which means "champion" or "cloud."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mcneal can be found in historical records from the 16th century. The name was particularly prevalent in the Scottish Highlands and was often associated with clan systems and familial ties. It is possible that the name originated as a way to identify individuals as descendants of a specific ancestor named Neil.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, the name Mcneal began to appear in various historical documents and records throughout Scotland and the British Isles. During this time, the name was sometimes spelled differently, such as "McNeil" or "MacNeal," due to variations in regional dialects and spelling conventions.
One notable individual with the name Mcneal was John Mcneal, a Scottish mathematician and astronomer who lived from 1701 to 1787. He is best known for his contributions to the field of celestial mechanics and his work on calculating the orbits of comets and planets.
Another prominent figure was Robert Mcneal, a Scottish-American soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War. Born in 1744, he served as a lieutenant in the Continental Army and was involved in several key battles, including the Battle of Trenton and the Battle of Princeton.
In the 19th century, the name Mcneal gained popularity among Scottish emigrants who settled in various parts of the world, including North America and Australia. One such individual was James Mcneal, an Australian explorer and surveyor who lived from 1820 to 1878. He is credited with exploring and mapping large portions of the Australian outback and contributing to the development of the country's infrastructure.
The name Mcneal also has religious connections, as it was occasionally used in Christian contexts. One example is William Mcneal, an Irish Presbyterian minister who lived from 1721 to 1789. He served as a minister in various congregations in Ireland and is known for his contributions to theological writings and sermons.
Another notable figure with the name Mcneal was John Mcneal, an American businessman and philanthropist who lived from 1837 to 1891. He co-founded the renowned McNeal & Urban Biscuit Company and was known for his philanthropic efforts, including donating funds for the establishment of educational institutions and supporting various charitable causes.
People
Mcneal + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Mcneal as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Mcneal: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Mcneal?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 8 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Mcneal going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 42,844,292 US residents.
Is Mcneal a common name?
We classify Mcneal as "Very Rare". It ranks above 24.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 43 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Mcneal most popular?
The single biggest year for Mcneal was 1920, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Mcneal is about 78 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Mcneal a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Mcneal in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.