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

Macaulay, 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 Macaulay surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Macaulay in America

Macaulay is the 12174th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Macaulay surname appeared 2,560 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 Macaulay.

We can also compare 2010 data for Macaulay 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 Macaulay

The surname MACAULAY is a Scottish name that originated in the Highlands of Scotland, likely during the late medieval period. It is derived from the Gaelic words "Mac" meaning "son of" and "Aulay," which is a Gaelic personal name meaning "servant of the Lord."

The earliest recorded use of the name MACAULAY can be traced back to the 16th century in the Scottish Highlands. The name was particularly prevalent in the regions of Argyll and Bute, where it is believed to have originated.

One of the earliest known references to the name MACAULAY can be found in the "Exchequer Rolls of Scotland" from the late 15th century, where the name appears as "MacAuley." This suggests that the name had already been established and in use among Highland clans by that time.

In the 17th century, the MACAULAY name gained prominence through the exploits of Aulay MACAULAY, a Scottish warrior and chief of the MACAULAY clan who played a significant role in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. He was born around 1610 and died in 1669.

Another notable figure bearing the MACAULAY surname was Thomas Babington MACAULAY, a renowned English historian, essayist, and poet. He was born in 1800 and died in 1859. MACAULAY's literary works, including his "History of England," had a profound impact on the historical and literary spheres of his time.

In the 19th century, the MACAULAY name gained further recognition with the birth of John MACAULAY, a Scottish explorer and naturalist. He was born in 1835 and played a crucial role in the exploration of the Pacific Northwest region of North America.

During the same period, John Simmons MACAULAY, a Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist, made significant contributions to the development of New York City. He was born in 1818 and died in 1897.

Another notable figure with the MACAULAY surname was Rose MACAULAY, an English novelist and travel writer. She was born in 1881 and died in 1958, and her works, including "The Towers of Trebizond," are considered literary classics.

While the MACAULAY name has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread across the globe, with individuals bearing this surname making notable contributions in various fields throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Macaulay

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

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 Macaulay 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 Macaulay 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 Macaulay was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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