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

MacGregor, 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 MacGregor surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of MacGregor in America

MacGregor is the 6565th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The MacGregor surname appeared 5,161 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname MacGregor.

We can also compare 2010 data for MacGregor 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 MacGregor

The surname MacGregor originated in Scotland during the medieval period. It is a Clan name derived from the Scottish Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son" and "Griogair" meaning "son of Gregor", a personal name itself derived from the Greek name "Gregorios" meaning "watchful". The name is associated with the Scottish Highlands, particularly the areas around Loch Lomond and Argyll.

The MacGregors were a prominent clan in 16th and 17th century Scotland, known for their involvement in various conflicts and feuds with rival clans such as the Campbells and the Colquhouns. In 1603, the entire clan was outlawed and proscribed by King James VI of Scotland, leading many MacGregors to adopt other surnames or disguise their identity.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists individuals who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England after his invasion of Scotland. The name appears as "Gregori filio Gregorii" and "Malcolmi MacGregor".

Notable individuals with the surname MacGregor include:

1. Rob Roy MacGregor (1671-1734), a famous Scottish folk hero, cattle trader, and outlaw who played a significant role in the Jacobite uprisings.

2. Sir Duncan MacGregor (1787-1881), a Scottish military officer who served in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars and later became the Governor of the British Virgin Islands.

3. John MacGregor (1825-1892), a Scottish explorer, travel writer, and philanthropist, known for his innovative use of the "Rob Roy" canoe for exploring rivers and waterways.

4. Gregor MacGregor (1786-1845), a Scottish soldier and adventurer who briefly established a short-lived Central American colony called "Poyais" and sold land grants to European settlers.

5. Ewan MacGregor (born 1971), a Scottish actor known for his roles in films such as "Trainspotting", "Moulin Rouge!", and the "Star Wars" prequel trilogy.

The name has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Glengyle (from the Gaelic "Gleann Ghobhail", meaning "the MacGregor's Glen") and Loch Sloy, derived from the Gaelic "Slochd Sluaigh" meaning "the MacGregor's Host".

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name MacGregor

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

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

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

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