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

MacDougall, 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 MacDougall surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of MacDougall in America

MacDougall is the 7725th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The MacDougall surname appeared 4,296 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 MacDougall.

We can also compare 2010 data for MacDougall 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 MacDougall

The surname MacDougall is of Scottish origin, deriving from the Gaelic mac Dughail, meaning "son of Dougall". It originated in the region of Argyll, on the western coast of Scotland.

The name is believed to have emerged in the 12th century, with the earliest recorded instance being Dougal de Ergadia in 1164. This Dougal de Ergadia was a descendant of the ancient Celtic royal house of Lorn and held lands in Argyll.

In the 13th century, the MacDougalls were influential lords in the region of Lorn and Argyll. They were engaged in various conflicts with neighboring clans, such as the Campbells and the MacDonalds. One notable figure was Alexander MacDougall, who fought alongside Robert the Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.

The MacDougalls are mentioned in several historical records, including the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland and the Chronicles of Fordun. In 1369, John MacDougall of Lorn is recorded as having paid homage to King David II of Scotland.

In the 15th century, the MacDougalls were involved in the Wars of the Roses in England, with some members supporting the Lancastrian cause. One notable figure from this period was Dougal MacDougall, who fought at the Battle of Towton in 1461.

Over the centuries, the surname has been spelled in various ways, including McDougall, McDugald, and McDougal. It has also been associated with several place names, such as Dunollie Castle in Oban, which was once a seat of the MacDougall chiefs.

Some notable individuals with the surname MacDougall throughout history include:

1. John MacDougall (1745-1823), a Scottish-American entrepreneur and landowner in Nova Scotia.
2. Sir Patrick MacDougall (1834-1894), a Scottish journalist and politician who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh.
3. William MacDougall (1822-1905), a Canadian politician and statesman who served as the first Lieutenant Governor of the Northwest Territories.
4. Gladys MacDougall (1905-1999), a British actress and singer known for her work in musical theater.
5. Ranald MacDougall (1915-1973), an American screenwriter and novelist best known for his work on the film Cleopatra (1963).

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name MacDougall

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

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

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

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