2000
#149,328
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Mackool
An Anglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic surname MacCuill, meaning "descendant of Cuill".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Mackool. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mackool surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Mackool in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mackool, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mackool
The surname MACKOOL is of Scottish origin, tracing its roots back to the Highlands region of Scotland in the 13th century. It is believed to be a derivative of the Gaelic words 'mac' meaning 'son of' and 'cuill' meaning 'hazel tree'. Thus, the name likely referred to someone who lived near a hazel tree or grove.
Early records show variations in spelling, such as MacCoul, MacCoul, and MacCuill, which were common in the Middle Ages before standardized spellings became widely adopted. The name first appeared in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a record of Scottish nobles and landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named Ewan MACKOOL was mentioned in the Records of the Presbytery of Ayr as a landowner in Carrick, Ayrshire. Another early record is of John MACKOOL, who was born in Inveraray, Argyll, in 1612 and served as a clan chief's advisor.
One of the earliest documented MACKOOL families resided in the village of Glencoe, where they were involved in the infamous Glencoe Massacre of 1692. The MACKOOL clan was among those targeted in the massacre, and several members were killed, including Angus MACKOOL (c. 1650-1692).
In the 18th century, a prominent figure named Duncan MACKOOL (1718-1796) was a respected historian and author who wrote extensively about the clans and history of the Scottish Highlands. His works provided valuable insights into the cultural traditions and genealogies of many Highland families, including the MACKOOL clan.
Another notable MACKOOL was Robert MACKOOL (1806-1884), a Scottish-born businessman who immigrated to Canada and became a successful merchant and landowner in Ontario. He was instrumental in establishing the town of Ingersoll, which was named after his business partner, Thomas Ingersoll.
Throughout history, the MACKOOL surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including farmers, soldiers, academics, and tradespeople. While not as widespread as some other Scottish surnames, it has maintained a strong presence in areas of Scotland and among Scottish diaspora communities around the world.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mackool
Among Census respondents with the surname Mackool, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Mackool bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Mackool surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.3% · 112
- Hispanic or Latino6.7% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mackool
Mackool appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
+5 bearers (+5.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,441 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+14 bearers (+13.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 11,720 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #149,328 | 101 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+5.0%) | Down 4,441 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +14 bearers (+13.2%) | Up 11,720 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Mackool surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #153,769 | #142,049 | 7.6% |
| Count | 106 | 120 | 13.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mackool bearers went from 106 to 120 (+13.2% change). The surname moved up 11,720 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #142,049.
FAQ
Mackool surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mackool?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Mackool. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Mackool?
Mackool ranks #142,049 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 120 people with the surname Mackool. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Mackool.
Has Mackool become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mackool went from 106 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 14 (+13.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #153,769 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Mackool?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mackool, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Mackool in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.3% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mackool appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.3%), Hispanic (6.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Mackool (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Mackool mean?
An Anglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic surname MacCuill, meaning "descendant of Cuill". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Mackool (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Mackool?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.