Find out how popular the last name MacArthur is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named MacArthur.

MacArthur, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the MacArthur surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of MacArthur in America

MacArthur is the 8274th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The MacArthur surname appeared 4,006 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname MacArthur.

We can also compare 2010 data for MacArthur to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name MacArthur

The surname MacArthur has its origins in Scotland and is a hereditary surname derived from the Gaelic personal name Arthur, meaning "bear" or "champion." The prefix "Mac" or "Mc" means "son of," indicating that the bearer of the name was the son of someone named Arthur.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname MacArthur can be traced back to the late 12th century and early 13th century. One of the earliest known mentions is in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of instruments of homage to Edward I of England, where the name appears as "Mattheu M'Artur."

The MacArthur surname is closely associated with the historical region of Argyll in western Scotland. The clan was particularly prominent in the areas around the islands of Islay and Jura, where they held significant lands and influence.

Several notable individuals throughout history have borne the surname MacArthur. One of the earliest recorded was John MacArthur, a Scottish clergyman who lived in the late 16th century and served as the minister of Strathmiglo parish in Fife.

Another prominent figure was Sir John MacArthur (1767-1834), a Scottish-born merchant and entrepreneur who established a successful business empire in colonial New South Wales, Australia. He played a significant role in the early development of the Australian wool industry.

In more recent times, General Douglas MacArthur (1880-1964) was a highly decorated American military leader who played a crucial role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He famously led the Allied forces during the Battle of Leyte Gulf and the liberation of the Philippines.

Other notable individuals with the surname include John MacArthur (1897-1978), a Scottish-American entrepreneur and philanthropist, and John F. MacArthur Jr. (born 1939), an American evangelical writer and pastor.

Throughout its history, the MacArthur surname has been associated with various place names and ancestral lands in Scotland, such as the Isle of Islay, the village of Strathmiglo, and the region of Argyll.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name MacArthur

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname MacArthur.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for MacArthur was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of MacArthur has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name MacArthur was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of MacArthur, please contact us.

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