2000
#21,142
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,157
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.43
Rare Last name
Maclachlan
A Scottish surname meaning "son of the servant of Lochlann" (an old name for Norway).
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,312 Americans carry the last name Maclachlan. That puts it at #22,987 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.38 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 261,246 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Maclachlan 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Maclachlan with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
1.3K
1 in 261,246
Census rank
#22,987
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,144 bearers of the surname Maclachlan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.38 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 22987th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Maclachlan, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.8%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Maclachlan
The surname MACLACHLAN is of Scottish origin, deriving from the Gaelic "Mac Lachlainn" which translates to "son of Lachlann". The name Lachlann itself is believed to have Norse roots, stemming from the Old Norse name "Lochlan" or "Lochlanach" meaning "Norwegian".
The clan MACLACHLAN has its ancestral roots in the region of Argyll, on the west coast of Scotland. They were a powerful family in the medieval period, with their seat at Castle Lachlan on the shores of Loch Fyne. The earliest recorded mention of the name dates back to the 12th century, with Lachlann Mor being the progenitor of the clan.
In the 13th century, the MACLACHLAN chiefs were recorded as witnesses to several charters granted by the Lords of the Isles. This indicates their influential position among the West Highland clans of the time. The name also appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the 14th century onwards.
One of the most notable figures in the clan's history was Lachlan Mor MACLACHLAN, who lived in the 15th century. He was a prominent warrior and chieftain, known for his involvement in the feuds between the clans of the west coast of Scotland. Another notable member was Archibald MACLACHLAN (1666-1744), a Scottish antiquarian and historian.
Other notable individuals with the surname MACLACHLAN include:
1. Ewen MACLACHLAN (1775-1822), a Scottish poet and songwriter.
2. Robert MACLACHLAN (1837-1904), a Canadian entomologist and naturalist.
3. Angus MACLACHLAN (1849-1930), a Scottish-born Canadian politician and lawyer.
4. Patricia MACLACHLAN (born 1938), an American author of children's books, best known for her novel "Sarah, Plain and Tall".
5. Kyle MACLACHLAN (born 1959), an American actor, known for his roles in films such as "Dune", "Blue Velvet", and the television series "Twin Peaks".
The MACLACHLAN name has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Kilmorie and Strathlachlan, reflecting the clan's historical territories and influence in the region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Maclachlan
Among Census respondents with the surname Maclachlan, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.8%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Maclachlan 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 Maclachlan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.2% · 1,009
- Hispanic or Latino6.8% · 78
- Two or more races2.8% · 32
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 13
- Black or African American0.8% · 9
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Maclachlan
Maclachlan 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
#21,633
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,205
+48 bearers (+4.1%)
Per 100,000 0.41
Rank movement Down 491 places
2020
#22,987
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,144
-61 bearers (-5.1%)
Per 100,000 0.38
Rank movement Down 1,354 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #21,142 | 1,157 | 0.43 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #21,633 | 1,205 | 0.41 | +48 bearers (+4.1%) | Down 491 places |
| 2020 | #22,987 | 1,144 | 0.38 | -61 bearers (-5.1%) | Down 1,354 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 Maclachlan 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 | #21,633 | #22,987 | -6.3% |
| Count | 1,205 | 1,144 | -5.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.41 | 0.38 | -6.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Maclachlan bearers went from 1,205 to 1,144 (-5.1% change). The surname moved down 1,354 positions in the national ranking, going from #21,633 to #22,987.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Maclachlan
FAQ
Maclachlan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Maclachlan?
Name Census estimates that about 1,312 living Americans carry the surname Maclachlan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 261,246 residents.
How common is Maclachlan?
Maclachlan ranks #22,987 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.38 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 1,144 people with the surname Maclachlan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,312), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.38 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.38 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 Maclachlan.
Has Maclachlan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Maclachlan went from 1,205 recorded bearers to 1,144. That is a decrease of 61 (-5.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #21,633 to #22,987.
What does the Census say about the background of Maclachlan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Maclachlan, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.8%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Maclachlan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.2% (1,009 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Maclachlan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.2%), Hispanic (6.8%), Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Maclachlan (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 Maclachlan mean?
A Scottish surname meaning "son of the servant of Lochlann" (an old name for Norway). 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 Maclachlan (0.38 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 have the surname Maclachlan?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.